Amsterdam - Events

The Ballet Festival of the National Ballet summer festival consists of performances in Amsterdam's smaller theaters.

Christmas flora.
This annual flower show takes place in December.

Day of Liberation (the German Occupation ended on 5 May 1945) is marked with local celebrations in various parts of Amsterdam.

In February is the commemoration of the strike in February 1941 by Dutch workers protesting against the deportation of their Jewish compatriots.

Saint Nicholas (Sinterklaas) arrives by boat in front of the Centraal Station from "Spain" with his followers and, riding on a white horse, leads his procession through Amsterdam to the cathedral where he is welcomed by the Lord Mayor.

Festival of Fools is held in summer, in even numbered years.
The festival is usually held in June.

The Floral Procession goes from Aalsmeer to the Amsterdam Street Festival in the Jordaan quarter.
The procession takes place on the first Saturday in September.

Hiswa is an international watersport exhibition.

Program of cultural events throughout the month.
This annual month-long festival takes place in June and includes daily performances including operas, symphonic, choral and chamber concerts, film screenings, and dance and theatrical performances.

Since its inception in 1948, the festival has been one of the most important Dutch cultural events, encompassing Amsterdam and the Hague.

Horecava is the International fair for the hotel and catering trade.

International Gaudeamus Music Week is a week-long festival founded in 1947 by the Contemporary Music Center of the Gaudeamus Foundation. The aim of the festival is to showcase new works by young composers in the form of symphonic, choral and chamber concerts.

The repertoire of the festival is as varied as the composers themselves. The daily performances take place in various venues, including the Ijsbreker Music Center, the Municipal Museum and the Paradiso, among others.

On the Saturday before Whitsun is Luilak (literally "lazybones"), when children ring doorbells and make a lot of noise to wake up lie-a-beds and lazybones.

Press Photo Exhibition.
World Press Photo is an organization that highlights professional press photography and holds an annual contest and corresponding traveling exhibition of photos.

On the Queen's Birthday, the whole of Amsterdam is in a festive mood with music and buy sales, with everyone, including the children, joining in. April 30 was originally the birthday of Queen Juliana, and her daughter, Queen Beatrix, has kept the same date although her own birthday is in fact on 31 January.

An incredible celebration of Amsterdam's unique relation with water, the Sail Amsterdam Festival features an outstanding display of over 1,000 traditional sailing ships.

This is a public holiday when presents are exchanged as happens on Christmas Day in English-speaking countries.

Commemoration of those who died in the Second World War is held with a two-minute silence at 8 pm throughout the Netherlands on May 4th.