Queen’s Day – the once a year event where everyone covers their immediate surroundings (including themselves) in orange, drags out their unwanted possessions to sell at the free market and for many, consumes large amounts of alcohol. If you aren’t able to catch a flight to the Netherlands and live in the United Kingdom, then you might still be in luck to participate in a little orange spirit at Holland House 2011.
Holland House 2011 is an event to celebrate Queen’s Day that will be taking place in London’s Trafalgar Square on Saturday, April 16th. Granted you will all be celebrating two weeks ahead of us here in the Netherlands but a party is a party, especially when it involves orange. Entrance to the festival is free and activities ranging from a Dutch market to live music will take place from 12-8pm. So, what exactly can you expect?
Dutch Market
Stroll around the stands of the Dutch Market. In between the tulips and chunks of cheese, you will find a whole host of Dutch delights including stroopwafels, poffertjes, fries, frikandels and krokets. Try one or try them all. Either way you can enjoy a little taste of the Netherlands.
Live Music
A party is not a party without a bit of music. Dutch bands will be playing live on stage for your enjoyment. The line-up features Storybox, De Coronas, Boris, Typhoon & Cool Collective and Baskerville.
Activities
Drop the kids off at the Kids Corner and then feel free to join in the Double Dutch Skipping contest. If skipping isn’t really your thing then why not join one of the free Dutch paintings tours at the National Gallery taking place at 3:30 and 4:30pm. Bike stunts on mountain bikes can be seen back at Trafalgar Square and there are opportunities to win a ‘Van Gogh’ bike and Dutch city breaks.
If you need some more enticement than have a look at this video from last year’s Holland House.
If you do attend Holland House or even the traditional Queen’s Day (April 30th) here in the Netherlands, don’t forget to take some photos and upload them to the Facebook group. We want to see how you celebrate the day!
