The ultimate guide to King’s Day festivals and events in the Netherlands in 2020

It’s almost King’s Day! So, what’s the big deal?

So maybe it’s your first Koningsdag or maybe you’ve become a bit of a King’s Day pro over the years. Or maybe you’re into King’s Day festivals in the Netherlands. Don’t be scared – all you’ll need is anything orange or Dutch related, a great alcohol tolerance and your best dance moves. Here are all of the main King’s Day festival events in one place…’cos DutchReview are the best.

Not fancying a festival in a large city? No worries, there will be parties literally ALL OVER the country. Like, it’s literally impossible not to find one, no matter where you live. If festivals and large events aren’t your thing – then everywhere has the traditional flea market, street parties and copious amounts of alcohol. We already have an article for this, so check it out!

We also have a video to give you the lowdown on King’s day in the Netherlands and how it’s celebrated:

Where will the royal family be on King’s day in 2020?

If you’re wanting to see the king this year, then now’s the time to plan. This year he will be spending his 53rd birthday in Maastricht with his family. Every year they visit a different city and the public is welcome to come and join them. Read all about it here.

King’s day 2020 festivals in the Netherlands:

If you’re a festival fan, then read on. I warn you though, the Dutch love a good dance music party. Most events over the country incorporate some sort of Dutch DJ (+ jaws dragging along the floor). Not all events are for a dance lovers dream – we’ve managed to find a few disco and hip-hop events. Read on to see what tickles your fancy!

The best thing about many of these events is that there are free or just really cheap. With so much competition on this day, event prices are generally low and you have so much choice when it comes to what you want to see and where you want to go. Result!

5 King’s Day events in the 5 big cities [King’s Day festivals]

King’s day events in Rotterdam in 2020:

1. TIKTAK King’s Night – For all you folks who like Dutch house music. Location: Rotterdam, Utrecht, Amsterdam

2. Oranjebitter Festival – More Dutch music, but they make you work to see the lineup (you basically have to guess it), go on the website to see what I mean! Location: Rotterdam

3. Kralingse Bos Festival– If you’re into Dutch DJ’s, then this is another for you. Location: Rotterdam

4. Code Oranje Festival– For the Dutch DJ and hip hop lovers. Location: Rotterdam

5. Kingsland festival – If you like house, techno or hardstyle, then this is a festival for you. Location: Amsterdam, Groningen, Tilburg, Rotterdam.

 

* We’ve got another guide to spending King’s day in Rotterdam in 2020 if that’s where you’re off to!

King’s day events in Amsterdam in 2020:

1. TIKTAK King’s Night – For all you folks who like Dutch house music. Location: Rotterdam, Amsterdam

2. Loveland Van Oranje – For techno/deep house lovers. Location: Amsterdam

3. NDSM Vrijhaven King’s Day – A free event for everyone, including family, with food, art and live music. Location: Amsterdam

4. Kingsland festival – If you like house, techno or hardstyle, then this is a festival for you. Location: Amsterdam, Groningen, Tilburg, Rotterdam.

5. Oranjebloesem festival – For techno/house lovers. Location: Amsterdam

* We’ve got another guide to spending King’s day in Amsterdam in 2020 if that’s where you’re off to!

King’s day events in The Hague in 2020:

1. The Life I Live Festival, King’s Night – This festival has a bit for everyone: hip-hop, hard rock, funk, electronic, dance and indie-pop. So it’s good to go to if you want to please all your friends at once. Location: The Hague 

2. The Life I Live Festival, King’s Day – This festival has a bit for everyone: hip-hop, hard rock, funk, electronic, dance and indie-pop. So it’s good to go to if you want to please all your friends at once. Location: The Hague 

3. Happy Feelings at the Beach, King’s Night– Celebrate the King’s Night by the beach! Location: The Hague

4. Kingsworld – A festival for all tastes! These include house, urban, Latin, Dutch and rap. Location: The Hague

5. The Hague – Kingsnight – An event filled with many different genres including RnB, hip-hop, trap, pop, house, deep house, techno, classics and disco. Location: The Hague

King’s day festivals in the Netherlands: Let the orange madness begin! | Source: Pixabay

* We’ve got another guide to spending King’s day in The Hague in 2020 if that’s where you’re off to!

King’s day events in Eindhoven in 2020:

1. Royal Dutch Eindhoven, King’s Night – For Dutch hip-hop and dance music lovers. Location: Eindhoven

2. Royal Dutch Eindhoven, King’s Day – For Dutch hip-hop and dance music lovers. Location: Eindhoven

3. B2s Supersized King’s Day Festival – The perfect festival for hardcore hardstyle lovers! Location: Eindhoven

4. King-S Festival – For techno, drum and bass and dubstep lovers everywhere. Location: Eindhoven

5. This=Music – For techno lovers out there. Location: Eindhoven

 

King’s day events in Groningen in 2020:

1. King’s Head, King’s Night – For dance music lovers who also love a good game of beer pong. Location: Groningen

2. Kingsland festival – If you like house, techno or hardstyle, then this is a festival for you. Location: Amsterdam, Groningen, Tilburg, Rotterdam.

3. De Helden van Oranje Festival – a variety of different Dutch music to get your body grooving. Location: Groningen, 

4. Paradigm: King’s Night – For dance music lovers everywhere. Location: Groningen

5. Paradigm: King’s Day – For dance music lovers everywhere. Location: Groningen

 

Brace yourselves: There’s so much choice and so much party. Don’t forget to dress up in orange and buy your tickets soon! Note: Some popular events may sell out beforehand.

See you out there, it’s going to be a gooden’.

What King’s Day festivals will you be going to this year? Any of these King’s Day festivals in the Netherlands? Let us know in the comments! And don’t forget to join our Facebook group for more Dutch stuff!

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on 13 March 2019, but was updated for your reading pleasure on 14 February 2020. 

Feature Image: Pixabay

The post The ultimate guide to King’s Day festivals and events in the Netherlands in 2020 appeared first on DutchReview.

The ultimate guide to King’s Day festivals and events in the Netherlands in 2020

It’s almost King’s Day! So, what’s the big deal?

So maybe it’s your first Koningsdag or maybe you’ve become a bit of a King’s Day pro over the years. Or maybe you’re into King’s Day festivals in the Netherlands. Don’t be scared – all you’ll need is anything orange or Dutch related, a great alcohol tolerance and your best dance moves. Here are all of the main King’s Day festival events in one place…’cos DutchReview are the best.

Not fancying a festival in a large city? No worries, there will be parties literally ALL OVER the country. Like, it’s literally impossible not to find one, no matter where you live. If festivals and large events aren’t your thing – then everywhere has the traditional flea market, street parties and copious amounts of alcohol. We already have an article for this, so check it out!

We also have a video to give you the lowdown on King’s day in the Netherlands and how it’s celebrated:

Where will the royal family be on King’s day in 2020?

If you’re wanting to see the king this year, then now’s the time to plan. This year he will be spending his 53rd birthday in Maastricht with his family. Every year they visit a different city and the public is welcome to come and join them. Read all about it here.

King’s day 2020 festivals in the Netherlands:

If you’re a festival fan, then read on. I warn you though, the Dutch love a good dance music party. Most events over the country incorporate some sort of Dutch DJ (+ jaws dragging along the floor). Not all events are for a dance lovers dream – we’ve managed to find a few disco and hip-hop events. Read on to see what tickles your fancy!

The best thing about many of these events is that there are free or just really cheap. With so much competition on this day, event prices are generally low and you have so much choice when it comes to what you want to see and where you want to go. Result!

5 King’s Day events in the 5 big cities [King’s Day festivals]

King’s day events in Rotterdam in 2020:

1. TIKTAK King’s Night – For all you folks who like Dutch house music. Location: Rotterdam, Utrecht, Amsterdam

2. Oranjebitter Festival – More Dutch music, but they make you work to see the lineup (you basically have to guess it), go on the website to see what I mean! Location: Rotterdam

3. Kralingse Bos Festival– If you’re into Dutch DJ’s, then this is another for you. Location: Rotterdam

4. Code Oranje Festival– For the Dutch DJ and hip hop lovers. Location: Rotterdam

5. Kingsland festival – If you like house, techno or hardstyle, then this is a festival for you. Location: Amsterdam, Groningen, Tilburg, Rotterdam.

 

* We’ve got another guide to spending King’s day in Rotterdam in 2020 if that’s where you’re off to!

King’s day events in Amsterdam in 2020:

1. TIKTAK King’s Night – For all you folks who like Dutch house music. Location: Rotterdam, Amsterdam

2. Loveland Van Oranje – For techno/deep house lovers. Location: Amsterdam

3. NDSM Vrijhaven King’s Day – A free event for everyone, including family, with food, art and live music. Location: Amsterdam

4. Kingsland festival – If you like house, techno or hardstyle, then this is a festival for you. Location: Amsterdam, Groningen, Tilburg, Rotterdam.

5. Oranjebloesem festival – For techno/house lovers. Location: Amsterdam

* We’ve got another guide to spending King’s day in Amsterdam in 2020 if that’s where you’re off to!

King’s day events in The Hague in 2020:

1. The Life I Live Festival, King’s Night – This festival has a bit for everyone: hip-hop, hard rock, funk, electronic, dance and indie-pop. So it’s good to go to if you want to please all your friends at once. Location: The Hague 

2. The Life I Live Festival, King’s Day – This festival has a bit for everyone: hip-hop, hard rock, funk, electronic, dance and indie-pop. So it’s good to go to if you want to please all your friends at once. Location: The Hague 

3. Happy Feelings at the Beach, King’s Night– Celebrate the King’s Night by the beach! Location: The Hague

4. Kingsworld – A festival for all tastes! These include house, urban, Latin, Dutch and rap. Location: The Hague

5. The Hague – Kingsnight – An event filled with many different genres including RnB, hip-hop, trap, pop, house, deep house, techno, classics and disco. Location: The Hague

King’s day festivals in the Netherlands: Let the orange madness begin! | Source: Pixabay

* We’ve got another guide to spending King’s day in The Hague in 2020 if that’s where you’re off to!

King’s day events in Eindhoven in 2020:

1. Royal Dutch Eindhoven, King’s Night – For Dutch hip-hop and dance music lovers. Location: Eindhoven

2. Royal Dutch Eindhoven, King’s Day – For Dutch hip-hop and dance music lovers. Location: Eindhoven

3. B2s Supersized King’s Day Festival – The perfect festival for hardcore hardstyle lovers! Location: Eindhoven

4. King-S Festival – For techno, drum and bass and dubstep lovers everywhere. Location: Eindhoven

5. This=Music – For techno lovers out there. Location: Eindhoven

 

King’s day events in Groningen in 2020:

1. King’s Head, King’s Night – For dance music lovers who also love a good game of beer pong. Location: Groningen

2. Kingsland festival – If you like house, techno or hardstyle, then this is a festival for you. Location: Amsterdam, Groningen, Tilburg, Rotterdam.

3. De Helden van Oranje Festival – a variety of different Dutch music to get your body grooving. Location: Groningen, 

4. Paradigm: King’s Night – For dance music lovers everywhere. Location: Groningen

5. Paradigm: King’s Day – For dance music lovers everywhere. Location: Groningen

 

Brace yourselves: There’s so much choice and so much party. Don’t forget to dress up in orange and buy your tickets soon! Note: Some popular events may sell out beforehand.

See you out there, it’s going to be a gooden’.

What King’s Day festivals will you be going to this year? Any of these King’s Day festivals in the Netherlands? Let us know in the comments! And don’t forget to join our Facebook group for more Dutch stuff!

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on 13 March 2019, but was updated for your reading pleasure on 14 February 2020. 

Feature Image: Pixabay

The post The ultimate guide to King’s Day festivals and events in the Netherlands in 2020 appeared first on DutchReview.

Gezellig: an essential Dutch concept

In your time spent in the Netherlands, you might have heard the word gezellig being used as the Dutchies are very proud of it. It’s also a word that is not that gezellig to pronounce. It also happens to be untranslatable directly in other languages, yet it is a concept that all of us can understand and appreciate.

Gezellig can best be described as a state of cosiness and togetherness, a shared sense of joy of spending time together with friends, drinking at a terrace by the canal after work. The word can be used in a lot of contexts, so read below for our guide on this magical and specific Dutch word.

Origin of the word gezellig

The origin of the word comes as a derivation from the word gezel, which means ‘friend’ or ‘companion’. Back in the old days, gezel was also used to designate a ‘journeyman’, which was used in the Dutch guild system as a group that forms around a master craftsmen, which is where the word also got its connotation of ‘belonging’.

What makes something gezellig?

A search on how the word is used reveals that, like many similar abstract concepts, gezellig is really in the eye of the beholder. Therefore, what qualifies as gezellig depends from person to person, and things are not equally gezellig for everyone.

Being on a terrace, drinking beer and listening to music is the epitome of gezellig. Image: mirceaianc/Pixabay

It gets even more complicated because gezellig is used to describe different things, from events to places and to people. Does this remind you of another Dutch word used pretty much everywhere? Ah yes, lekker man! I think that lekker and gezellig are comparable in the way they are used to describe pretty much every feel-good cool thing in the Netherlands.

Is everything that is lekker also gezellig? We do not know, and scientists have been trying to find out for years the answer to this very important cultural question (you can also let us know what you think in the comments.)

We can perhaps agree that some things are completely gezellig, no matter your preferences. Let’s think of a few different scenarios that are 100% gezellig.

• Fairy lights in a room while drinking wine with your friends and listening to music on a vinyl player. (definitely gezellig)


• Arriving home after a long day at work as you are getting greeted by your cat. (super gezellig)


• Eating a brood met kaas on a rainy day (surely gezellig, but the sandwich is pretty lekker too)


• Feeling the warmth of the sun after the abyss of Dutch winter (50% gezellig, 50% the sun is always lekker)


• Discovering you have been exempt from paying taxes in the Netherlands forever through the grace of the King himself (wholesome gezellig and a lekker story to tell to your friends)

As you can see, gezellig can be used in many different ways, but it can be summed up as including the following elements: a state of cosiness, that is shared with other people in a spirit of togetherness, and belonging to something. Actions can be gezellig too, it all depends on the context and the way the word is used.

Chilling with your friends in a tent under the night sky is surely gezellig. Image: chulmin1700/Pixabay

Gezellig but not really: using it sarcastically

Gezellig can also be used ironically or sarcastically, such as when you say something like ‘having my train delayed all the time to work is gezellig’, or saying ‘gezellig hoor’ when you need to hear your conservative aunts defending Zwarte Piet.

What is gezellig with Dutchies is not necessarily the same for internationals

The Dutch have many things that they see as gezellig, but that might not apply for internationals as well. Take for example the borrelen. Dutchies gather around for drinks and bitterballen, and they do their fair share of networking, conversation and the like. An international, however, might not feel welcome at these kinds of events, as the Dutchies might not speak English or feel the need to include the internationals in the conversation.

A great example of this in action is something that happened back at my university. There used to be a board that organized borrels on the different floors of our campus. The people there were mostly white Dutchies wearing suits, and surprise, not a lot of internationals showed up and felt welcome. It was certainly gezellig for them, but it was not long until their boards cancelled activities altogether, due to lack of international participants.

The reverse of the coin: ongezellig

Now that we have an understanding somewhat of gezellig, it’s time to learn about the evil twin of the word.

Enter ongezellig. If gezellig is warmth and cosiness, then ongezellig is the coldest, most desolate place, where everything and everyone is uninviting, rude, and definitely not lekker. Basically, a corporate office meeting, where nobody knows what they’re talking and office politics takes the forefront, can be described as ongezellig.

Other things that are ongezellig include:

• having to pay high taxes when you already spent your money


• having to meet that one acquaintance of yours that always talks about themselves and never asks you anything


• going to a busy cafe to discover there are no more charging plugs for your laptop.


• having your bike pushed in a canal by the wind


• dropping your boterham face down

As such, if you are ever anywhere, and a Dutchie uses the word ongezellig, it is probably an indication to get the hell out of there.

This cat perfectly exemplifies how you look in an ongezellig setting. Image: JamieDepledge/Pixabay

Similar words like gezellig that you can find in other languages

Like patat met mayo, not everything that is Dutch is uniquely Dutch. The closest English equivalent to gezellig might be cosy, or togetherness, yet it is not a direct translation, as gezellig is really an assortment of different concepts thrown into one.

There is a word in Danish and Norwegian that comes closer to the original meaning of gezellig, namely hygge. It’s related to the Dutch word heugen, which means ‘to remember’ and the word verheugen, which means ‘to look forward to’. Not fully gezellig, but getting there.

The Germans also have a word that kind of is similar, gemütlichkeit. It denotes a state of friendliness and warmth, belonging and peace of mind. But to be precise, the Dutch have their own version of this gemoedelijkheid.

In general, it seems that Germanic and Nordic countries have words that partially resemble the meaning of gezellig, which is funny, considering their climates are not that gezellig.

What are your most gezellig experiences in the Netherlands? Let us know in the comments.

Feature Image: guylucis/Pixabay

The post Gezellig: an essential Dutch concept appeared first on DutchReview.

Gezellig: an essential Dutch concept

In your time spent in the Netherlands, you might have heard the word gezellig being used as the Dutchies are very proud of it. It’s also a word that is not that gezellig to pronounce. It also happens to be untranslatable directly in other languages, yet it is a concept that all of us can understand and appreciate.

Gezellig can best be described as a state of cosiness and togetherness, a shared sense of joy of spending time together with friends, drinking at a terrace by the canal after work. The word can be used in a lot of contexts, so read below for our guide on this magical and specific Dutch word.

Origin of the word gezellig

The origin of the word comes as a derivation from the word gezel, which means ‘friend’ or ‘companion’. Back in the old days, gezel was also used to designate a ‘journeyman’, which was used in the Dutch guild system as a group that forms around a master craftsmen, which is where the word also got its connotation of ‘belonging’.

What makes something gezellig?

A search on how the word is used reveals that, like many similar abstract concepts, gezellig is really in the eye of the beholder. Therefore, what qualifies as gezellig depends from person to person, and things are not equally gezellig for everyone.

Being on a terrace, drinking beer and listening to music is the epitome of gezellig. Image: mirceaianc/Pixabay

It gets even more complicated because gezellig is used to describe different things, from events to places and to people. Does this remind you of another Dutch word used pretty much everywhere? Ah yes, lekker man! I think that lekker and gezellig are comparable in the way they are used to describe pretty much every feel-good cool thing in the Netherlands.

Is everything that is lekker also gezellig? We do not know, and scientists have been trying to find out for years the answer to this very important cultural question (you can also let us know what you think in the comments.)

We can perhaps agree that some things are completely gezellig, no matter your preferences. Let’s think of a few different scenarios that are 100% gezellig.

• Fairy lights in a room while drinking wine with your friends and listening to music on a vinyl player. (definitely gezellig)
• Arriving home after a long day at work as you are getting greeted by your cat. (super gezellig)
• Eating a brood met kaas on a rainy day (surely gezellig, but the sandwich is pretty lekker too)
• Feeling the warmth of the sun after the abyss of Dutch winter (50% gezellig, 50% the sun is always lekker)
• Discovering you have been exempt from paying taxes in the Netherlands forever through the grace of the King himself (wholesome gezellig and a lekker story to tell to your friends)

As you can see, gezellig can be used in many different ways, but it can be summed up as including the following elements: a state of cosiness, that is shared with other people in a spirit of togetherness, and belonging to something. Actions can be gezellig too, it all depends on the context and the way the word is used.

Chilling with your friends in a tent under the night sky is surely gezellig. Image: chulmin1700/Pixabay

Gezellig but not really: using it sarcastically

Gezellig can also be used ironically or sarcastically, such as when you say something like ‘having my train delayed all the time to work is gezellig’, or saying ‘gezellig hoor’ when you need to hear your conservative aunts defending Zwarte Piet.

What is gezellig with Dutchies is not necessarily the same for internationals

The Dutch have many things that they see as gezellig, but that might not apply for internationals as well. Take for example the borrelen. Dutchies gather around for drinks and bitterballen, and they do their fair share of networking, conversation and the like. An international, however, might not feel welcome at these kinds of events, as the Dutchies might not speak English or feel the need to include the internationals in the conversation.

A great example of this in action is something that happened back at my university. There used to be a board that organized borrels on the different floors of our campus. The people there were mostly white Dutchies wearing suits, and surprise, not a lot of internationals showed up and felt welcome. It was certainly gezellig for them, but it was not long until their boards cancelled activities altogether, due to lack of international participants.

The reverse of the coin: ongezellig

Now that we have an understanding somewhat of gezellig, it’s time to learn about the evil twin of the word.

Enter ongezellig. If gezellig is warmth and cosiness, then ongezellig is the coldest, most desolate place, where everything and everyone is uninviting, rude, and definitely not lekker. Basically, a corporate office meeting, where nobody knows what they’re talking and office politics takes the forefront, can be described as ongezellig.

Other things that are ongezellig include:

• having to pay high taxes when you already spent your money
• having to meet that one acquaintance of yours that always talks about themselves and never asks you anything
• going to a busy cafe to discover there are no more charging plugs for your laptop.
• having your bike pushed in a canal by the wind
• dropping your boterham face down

As such, if you are ever anywhere, and a Dutchie uses the word ongezellig, it is probably an indication to get the hell out of there.

This cat perfectly exemplifies how you look in an ongezellig setting. Image: JamieDepledge/Pixabay

Similar words like gezellig that you can find in other languages

Like patat met mayo, not everything that is Dutch is uniquely Dutch. The closest English equivalent to gezellig might be cosy, or togetherness, yet it is not a direct translation, as gezellig is really an assortment of different concepts thrown into one.

There is a word in Danish and Norwegian that comes closer to the original meaning of gezellig, namely hygge. It’s related to the Dutch word heugen, which means ‘to remember’ and the word verheugen, which means ‘to look forward to’. Not fully gezellig, but getting there.

The Germans also have a word that kind of is similar, gemütlichkeit. It denotes a state of friendliness and warmth, belonging and peace of mind. But to be precise, the Dutch have their own version of this gemoedelijkheid.

In general, it seems that Germanic and Nordic countries have words that partially resemble the meaning of gezellig, which is funny, considering their climates are not that gezellig.

What are your most gezellig experiences in the Netherlands? Let us know in the comments.

Feature Image: guylucis/Pixabay

The post Gezellig: an essential Dutch concept appeared first on DutchReview.