A Flea Market Fit for a Queen

Amsterdam's Royal Holiday Brings Bargain Shopping to the Streets

by Rick Steves
ABC news (US)

April 29, 2005 — Every year on April 30, Amsterdammers fill the sidewalks for a quirky celebration: Queen’s Day, held in honor of the royal ruler of the Netherlands. While it’s a party thrown for Queen Beatrix, her actual birthday is in January. Down-to-earth Beatrix decided to keep the date on her mother’s (former queen Juliana’s) birthday, since the spring weather is better for an all-day outdoor event. About a million visitors come to Amsterdam to take part in Queen’s Day — a national day off that the Dutch use to host a gigantic flea market throughout the streets. It’s a city-wide spring cleaning.


Other countries would never consider using a royal holiday to sell off a used toaster. But the Netherlands is a place where practicality is considered a great virtue. A Dutch friend once told me, "In Holland, being ordinary is being prudent. If you grow above the grain, you’ll get your head cut off. Even our queen prefers to do her own shopping."