King's Day, known as Koningsdag in Dutch, is a national holiday in the Netherlands. Celebrated on April 27th, the day marks the birth of King Willem-Alexander. Until the abdication of Queen Beatrix in 2013, the holiday was known as Queen's Day and was celebrated on April 30th. The holiday is known for its 'orange madness' or 'oranjegekte', with festivities including orange-colored outfits, parties, and concerts all over the country.
The tradition of King's Day began over a century ago, with the first 'Princess's Day' in 1885 as a celebration of the fifth birthday of Princess Wilhelmina, the future queen. Over the years, the holiday evolved with the reign of each new monarch, eventually becoming King's Day in 2014. The holiday is marked as a day of unity and togetherness for the Dutch people, and carrying forward the Dutch monarchy's bond with its people.
The most anticipated event of King's Day is the vrijmarkt ('free market'), which is a nationwide flea market where anyone is allowed to sell their secondhand items. Children are also encouraged to participate, setting up their small stands with games, performances, and selling their old toys. The King usually visits one or several places in the country along with his family, which are nationally broadcasted. These visits consist of performances and meet-and-greets with the local inhabitants. Despite King's Day being a national holiday, it has a village fair-style atmosphere.