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From exciting exhibitions to invigorating cycle routes, from striking art displays to wonderful flower shows, all year round many festivals and events are held and invite local and foreign visitors to join in.
Spectacular flower parades throughout Holland can be seen from April through to September every year. Although the concept of a flower parade is certainly not limited to Holland, it is fair to say that nowhere else in the world you are able to watch so many floral street processions. Each parade – called a ‘corso’ – has its own history and is typically Dutch.
The ‘Bollenstreek’ (bulb-growing area) Flower Parade is the first and biggest parade held in Holland every year. 50 years ago, the organizers of various small parades, which were held in the villages of the Bollenstreek, decided to join forces and created one big parade. It was to become the calling card of the flower bulb culture. The floats are created with 1.5 million hyacinths and thousands of narcissus and other flowers.
Keukenhof has been an exciting destination for visitors from all over the world for 55 years. Keukenhof’s magnificent display of colour, created by more than 7 million tulips and other bulbs in bloom, gives you that springtime feeling and lifts your spirits. The year 2004 is the 55th time the largest spring flower exhibition in the world is organized.
Holland has large variety of sport events each year with an international scope such as the Rotterdam Marathon. This is a marathon with many national and international athletes.
Each year on the 30th of April the whole country erupts in one big orange party to celebrate Queen Beatrix’s birthday. There are markets, theatre shows, bands and games throughout the country. On this ‘Queens day’ (Koninginnedag) the Queen selects the two towns that she visits.
The North Sea Jazz Festival each year is a live festival with international artists. Well over eight hours of live music per day on thirteen stages at the same time. More than thousand jazz musicians take part, ranging from new talent to well-established names. The North Sea Jazz Festival is world-renowned for the many musical genres which it offers each year, ranging from traditional New Orleans jazz, swing, bop, free jazz, fusion, avant-garde jazz and electronic jazz to blues, gospel, funk, soul, hiphop, R&B, world beat and latin.
Once a year, Amsterdam’s historic city centre is transformed into Holland’s most beautiful concert hall during the canal festival . At some 20 unique indoor and outdoor locations, national and international top musicians and new talent perform over 70 concerts. On floats in the canals, in secluded courtyards and historic period rooms of monumental canal houses, even in local residents’ living rooms and roof gardens. What was originally planned as a one-off piano concert on a rusty barge has developed itself into a full-fledged music festival.
Please check the website www.holland.com for details and exact dates and events.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
