On New Year’s Eve there are always Dutch doughnuts (oliebollen) on the table. And then, in the cold months that follow, the excited whispers begin: ‘Will it happen again this year?’ That’s because everyone is wondering whether temperatures will be low enough for the Elfstedentocht, a 200-kilometre skating race through 11 Frisian towns that can only take place during harsh winters. On 31 August 1885 the Netherlands celebrated its first Princess Day to mark the future queen Wilhelmina’s fifth birthday. This event later evolved into Queen’s Day and then King’s Day, as it is currently known. On this national holiday the streets are filled with orange decorations and market stalls. Every summer since 1984, Rotterdam is transformed by its summer carnival, another much-loved Dutch tradition. It has its origins in Caribbean culture and features a mix of dancing, music, cuisine and costumes.
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