Amsterdam Holidays & Events Calendar
Updated · BootsnAll
You plan trips around your holidays, not theirs, but Dutch holidays can still shape your visit. Some close shops and offices, some fill the trains with locals heading out of town, and one of them turns the entire city orange. Here's what's on the calendar in Amsterdam, with the dates that are already fixed for late 2026 and 2027.
A key to the list below:
- bold = official public holidays (many shops and offices close or keep shorter hours)
- italics = events and festivals
- regular text = widely marked, but not public holidays
- [brackets] = the Dutch name
Public holidays at a glance
These are the official public holidays, according to Government.nl. The government also notes that no law requires employers to give these days off, so what stays open varies. Good Friday in particular is a normal working day for many people.
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day [Nieuwjaarsdag] | Thu 1 January | Fri 1 January |
| Good Friday [Goede Vrijdag] | Fri 3 April | Fri 26 March |
| Easter Sunday and Monday [Pasen] | 5 and 6 April | 28 and 29 March |
| King's Day [Koningsdag] | Mon 27 April | Tue 27 April |
| Liberation Day [Bevrijdingsdag] | Tue 5 May | Wed 5 May |
| Ascension Day [Hemelvaartsdag] | Thu 14 May | Thu 6 May |
| Whit Sunday and Monday [Pinksteren] | 24 and 25 May | 16 and 17 May |
| Christmas Day and Boxing Day [Kerstmis] | 25 and 26 December | 25 and 26 December |
What changed since this page was first written
- Queen's Day is now King's Day. Since Willem-Alexander became king in 2013, the big orange street party has been held on his birthday, 27 April, starting in 2014. When the 27th falls on a Sunday, it moves to Saturday the 26th.
- Liberation Day is a holiday every year. 5 May has been a national holiday every year since 1990, but many collective labor agreements only give workers the day off once every five years (2025, 2030 and so on). Either way, there are free Liberation Day festivals around the country.
- The Cannabis Cup is gone. High Times stopped holding its Amsterdam event after 2014.
Month by month
January
1: New Year's Day [Nieuwjaar]
6: Epiphany [Driekoningen]
Until 17 January 2027: Amsterdam Light Festival
February
A quiet month. Carnival is big in the south of the country, around Maastricht and Den Bosch, but Amsterdam mostly sits it out.
March
14 March 2027: Silent Walk [Stille Omgang], a night-time Catholic procession through the old center
18 March to 9 May 2027: Keukenhof gardens open, a day trip from Amsterdam
26 March 2027: Good Friday
28 and 29 March 2027: Easter
April
27: King's Day [Koningsdag]. The city fills with orange, street markets, boat parties and a lot of beer. Book your room early, because this is one of the busiest nights of the year.
May
4: Remembrance of the Dead [Dodenherdenking], with two minutes of silence at 8pm and a ceremony at the National Monument on Dam Square
5: Liberation Day [Bevrijdingsdag]
Second weekend: National Windmill Day
6 May 2027: Ascension Day
16 and 17 May 2027: Whitsun
June
Holland Festival, the country's big performing arts festival, usually runs through June
Most weekends through summer: outdoor festivals in and around the city. See our festivals in Amsterdam guide.
July
31 July to 8 August 2027: Pride Amsterdam. The city hosted WorldPride from 25 July to 8 August 2026.
August
First Saturday: Canal Parade, the boat parade that closes Pride week. In 2026 it sailed on 1 August, and Pride Amsterdam lists 7 August for 2027.
13 to 22 August 2027: Grachtenfestival, classical music on and along the canals
Late August: Uitmarkt, the free weekend that kicks off the cultural season (28 to 30 August in 2026)
September
Second weekend: Open Monuments Days [Open Monumentendag], when historic buildings that are normally closed open their doors for free (12 and 13 September in 2026)
October
17 and 18 October 2026: TCS Amsterdam Marathon, with the main race on Sunday
21 to 25 October 2026: Amsterdam Dance Event, five days of clubs, parties and conference sessions (official site). Hotels fill up and prices jump.
November
7 November 2026: Museum Night [Museumnacht], with dozens of museums open late on one ticket (I amsterdam listing)
11: Saint Martin's Day [Sint Maarten], when kids go door to door with lanterns
Mid-November: Sinterklaas arrives in Amsterdam by boat, and the Sinterklaas season begins
November: IDFA, the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam
26 November 2026 to 17 January 2027: Amsterdam Light Festival, the 15th edition, with light art along the canals
December
5: Saint Nicholas' Eve [Sinterklaasavond], the main present-giving night for Dutch families
15: Kingdom Day [Koninkrijksdag]
25: Christmas Day [Eerste Kerstdag]
26: Boxing Day [Tweede Kerstdag]
31: New Year's Eve [Oudejaarsavond]
For what the weather is doing in each month, see our Amsterdam weather page. Event dates can shift, so check the official sites before you book around them.
photo by 24oranges.nl