From King’s Day and Pride to Amsterdam Dance Event and the Light Festival, Amsterdam has a big occasion almost every month. Use this calendar to time your visit, and book your stay early for the busiest weekends.
Last checked: September 2026
Amsterdam Light Festival continues along the canals; quiet museums and lower hotel prices.
A calm month for culture: exhibitions, concerts and cosy brown cafés.
Tulip season begins and Keukenhof opens (19 March in 2026).
Tulip Festival across the city and King’s Day on 27 April, the biggest party of the year.
Remembrance Day (4 May) and Liberation Day festivals (5 May). Keukenhof closes in mid-May.
Holland Festival for performing arts, long evenings and the start of terrace season.
Summer festivals and open-air culture, including performances in the Vondelpark.
Pride Amsterdam with the Canal Parade, the classical Grachtenfestival and the Uitmarkt.
Open Monument Days and a lively start of the cultural season.
Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), one of the world’s biggest electronic music events.
Museum Night and the arrival of Sinterklaas; the Light Festival usually opens late in the month.
Light Festival, winter markets and New Year’s Eve fireworks across the city.
Dates change every year. Always check the official event website before you book.
The whole city turns orange to celebrate the king’s birthday, with a citywide flea market, street parties and packed canals. If 27 April falls on a Sunday, it moves to the Saturday before.
Tip: Book accommodation months ahead, wear orange and expect crowds and closed roads in the centre.
On 4 May the country falls silent for two minutes at 20:00 to remember the victims of war, with a national ceremony on Dam Square. On 5 May, Liberation Day is celebrated with free festivals.
Tip: Please respect the silence on the evening of 4 May: traffic and conversation stop.
A week of events celebrating LGBTQ+ culture, ending with the famous Canal Parade of decorated boats on the Prinsengracht and Amstel.
Tip: Find a spot along the Prinsengracht early for the Canal Parade.
Five days of club nights, concerts and a conference, with hundreds of venues across the city.
Tip: Hotels fill up fast; book as soon as the dates are announced.
International artists create light installations along the canals, best seen on foot or from a canal boat.
Tip: Book an evening canal cruise with the light route for the best views.
Tulips across the city during the Tulip Festival and millions of bulbs at Keukenhof, open 19 March – 10 May in 2026.
Tip: Visit Keukenhof on a weekday morning and combine it with bulb fields by bike.
Evening cruises that follow the light art route along the canals.
April is hard to beat, with tulip season and King’s Day on 27 April. August brings Pride and the Grachtenfestival, October has Amsterdam Dance Event, and December offers the Light Festival.
On 27 April each year. When 27 April falls on a Sunday, it is celebrated on Saturday 26 April.
It usually runs from late November or early December until January. Check the official festival website for this year’s dates and route.
Yes. Around King’s Day, Pride and Amsterdam Dance Event hotels fill up and prices rise, so book as early as you can.