Queens Day festivities.

This years Queens birthday holiday (Koninginnedag) is to be held on 29 April to avoid falling on a Sunday. The holiday instituted by Queen Juliana shortly after the end of world war two is usually celebrated on the last day of April. For the occasion Amsterdam becomes an enormous street market, the so-called Vrijmarkt (free market) where locals sell second-hand clothes, trinkets and furniture. No vending permits are required on this day. Music DJs, live bands, street theatre and food and drink stands are set up on every street corner and everyone dresses in orange, the traditional colour of the Dutch Royal family. The Queen makes a royal visit to two towns on the day, often dropping in to house chosen at random for an informal chat. Attracting up to two million visitors from Holland and abroad, the Koninginnedag is arguably the worlds biggest street market and party. The city council has recommended that visitors use public transport.