Adapting to life in a new country is easier once you understand the traditions and cultural festivities. Holland has some traditions to which it is very loyal, a few of them specific to The Hague.

On 29 April, the night before Queen’s Day, there is Koninginnenacht, a night of partying and music. In The Hague there is KoninginnenNach, a free open-air music festival that has been taking place in The Hague since 1989. Besides performances on several open-air stages throughout the city centre, there is also a lot of live music in cafés and bars. While Koninginnenacht is celebrated throughout the country, KoninginneNach is a true Hague tradition.

The next day, 30 April, is Koninginnedag (Queen’s Day), a national holiday celebrating the Queen’s birthday. Queen Beatrix was actually born on 31 January, but because of the weather she decided that Koninginnedag would continue to take place as before on 30 April, the birthday of her mother, Queen Juliana. National flags (complete with the orange standard) appear everywhere, adding to the festive spirit. This is another time of year when anything orange goes!

A Koninginnedag tradition is the vrijmarkt, the free market or jumble sale. In many streets people set up stands and sell old toys, clothes, or other things they don’t need anymore. They put out their wares and then wait for the masses to come. And do they! The Fred, Belgisch Park and the square outside the Albert Heijn in Benoordenhout are a few of the busier areas. There are also neighborhood fun fairs on the Fred as well as on the Lange Voorhout.

In May, on the Saturday before Whitsun is Vlaggetjesdag (flags day), named for the flags decorating the fishing boats as they left the harbour to fish for herring. Although fishing has changed since the old days, Vlaggetjesdag still celebrates the arrival of the first herring. The boats are still decorated with little flags, and the first catch is auctioned off, with the proceeds destined for charity. Scheveningen harbour is the place to witness this very Dutch event.

In July, in addition to flags on the flagpoles around town, you may also see backpacks hanging as well. This bag-flag combination signifies a happy occasion—someone’s high school graduation. Besides the official flag days, the Dutch are also allowed to raise their flags on happy occasions such as these. So whenever you see the backpack flying, remember to congratulate the proud parents and graduate!

Every third Tuesday in September is Prinsjesdag (Little Princes Day), an important day for Dutch politics, when the Queen delivers a speech setting forth the government policy for the coming year. Beforehand, the Queen and her entourage are driven in a golden carriage from the palace on the Noordeinde to the Ridderzaal, where the speech takes place. All the women present wear hats, which are always heavily discussed in the media afterwards. Many onlookers line the streets to wave to their Queen and the royal family.

Every November, Dutch children eagerly await the arrival of Sinterklaas, the patron saint of children, as he sails by steamboat from his home in Spain to the Netherlands. Sinterklaas arrives early (15 November this year) to be in time for all the preparations. He makes a grand entrance sailing into the harbour of Scheveningen and then tours the city. Along the way, Zwarte Piet helpers give out traditional sweets and small cookies called pepernoten to enthusiastic children.

On 5 December, Sinterklaas brings presents to all the children who have been good, so he is often compared to Father Christmas and Santa Claus. Together with his horse Americo and his helper Zwarte Piet (Black Pete), he goes from roof to roof and delivers presents through the chimney.

The holiday comes with many songs, sung by the chimney to encourage Sinterklaas to come and bring presents. Even if you don’t speak Dutch, after a few weeks of hearing these songs in almost every shopping street in town, you too will start humming along.

Traditions mark the calendar
By TheHagueOnline.com staff
 

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