Festivals

Amsterdam has many festivals held throughout the year all over the city.

Below are just a small selection of them. You can find information about more festivals from the VVV or Amsterdam Tourist Board.

Grachtenfestival

Over five days, approximately 100 classical music concerts are held throughout Amsterdam, on and around the canals.

From 2006, the concerts will also be held on the river IJ for the very first time.

Grachtenfestival attracts large numbers of people, such is its popularity. In 2005, there were around 50,000 visitors.

In 2006, the festival will be held from Wednesday 16th August till Sunday 20th August.

Hartjesdagen

This festival dates from medieval times when it originated as a street party.

Every August, on the weekend prior to the third Monday of the month, the Hartjesdagen is held.

Opening on the Saturday afternoon, this festival is a street procession of men dressed as women and also women dressed as men!

You can find the Hartjesdagen on Zeedijk, in the Nieuwmarkt area of Amsterdam.

Queens Birthday

Queens Birthday, also popularly known simply as "Queens Day", is the biggest festival of the year.

In fact, the date is not the Queen's actual birthday, but her official one, and takes place on 30 April.

Over one million people attend this party and all are dressed in orange. If you are lucky enough to attend this unique experience, make sure you dress in orange!

The festivities continue all the way through the the following day, such is the party atmosphere.

You can find parades, fireworks, live music and street sellers - with no license required on this day to trade on the street, Amsterdam becomes one giant flea market!

The biggest party areas are the main streets around town including near Leidseplein, Damrak, Rokin and Vondelpark.

Gay Pride

Amsterdam has been called "the gay capital of Europe" and a trip at any time of the year offers much for gays and lesbians alike, much action centered around Warmoestraat in particular.

Every year in the early part of August, up to half a million people descend on Amsterdam for the annual Gay Pride Festival.

Nighttime partying and street festivals can be enjoyed but the main highlight of the weekend in the canal parade held on Saturday when from the afternoon onwards, boats slowly meander down Amsterdam's main canals with a variety of sights and sounds to behold.