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Netherlands - Celebrations

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Queen's Day (Dutch: Koninginnedag) on April 30 (or celebrated on April 29 if the 30th is Sunday) is a national holiday in the Netherlands that started as a celebration of the Dutch monarchy. Queen's Day is in Amsterdam celebrated as a big open air party with lots of entertainment. Most people wear orange that day. Trading laws are lifted for the day so anyone can sell whatever they want on the street, and many people use this occasion to clean out the closets and sell their stuff in small street stalls. The Sinterklaas feast celebrates the name day of Saint Nicholas, patron saint of children. Saint Nicholas was bishop of Myra in present-day Turkey and became the patron saint of children based on various legends that include resurrecting children from death and saving them from prostitution. Sinterklaas has a long white beard, wears a red bishop's dress and red mitre (bishop's hat), and holds a crosier, a long gold coloured staff with a fancy curled top. Sinterklaas carries a big book with all the children's names in it, which states whether they have been good or naughty (zoet of stout) in the past year. Sinterklaas is assisted by many helpers with black faces and colourful outfits, modelled after 16th century Spanish clothing. These helpers are called Zwarte Pieten (Black Petes) in Dutch. Sinterklaas traditionally arrives each year in November by steamboat from Spain, and is then paraded through the streets, welcomed by cheering and singing children. His Zwarte Piet helpers throw candy and pepernoten into the crowd. The children welcome him by singing traditional Sinterklaas songs.
Dutch people celebrating Queen's Day in Amsterdam	Man dressed up for Queen's Day	Wearing the proper Queen's Day outfit
Queen's Day celebration in Amsterdam	Sinterklaas is arriving in Amsterdam from Spain	Sinterklaas waving from his boat
One of the many Zwarte Piets	Boy wearing Sinterklaas hat	Children in Amsterdam waiting for Sinterklaas, and candy