King's Day in The Hague
Get your orange outfit out of the closet again! Here are the best tips for Koningsdag activities and where to get the tastiest Orange cake. Of course, the traditional music festival The Life I Live festival, the night before, should not be missed!
Find bargains at the free market
The Hague free markets (markets where everybody can sell anything) are scattered across the city. Here is the complete list of Hague's free markets (subject to change):
- Belgisch Plein and Stevinstraat in Belgisch Park
- Bosjes van Pex (carpark on Evert Wijtemaweg near the playground)
- Frederik Hendriklaan and Willem de Zwijgerlaan in Statenkwartier
- Lange Beestenmarkt and Hamerstraat in the city centre
- Keizerstraat in Scheveningen
- Koningsplein in the Regentessekwartier
- Koningstraat in the Schilderswijk
- Leyweg Shopping Centre in Morgenstond
- Loosduinse Hoofdplein in Loosduinen
- Newtonplein in Segbroek
- Noordeinde near the palace
- Piet Heinstraat
- Centre square
- Reinkenstraat in Duinoord
- Schipperskwartier (Rijswijkseweg 252, rear of community centre Vliethage)
- Thomsonlaan
- Vlierboomstraat
- Vlietpark in Wateringse Veld
- Willem Royaardsplein in Benoordenhout
- Wijkpark de Horst behind Mariahoeve shopping centre
The Life I Live Festival
On King's Night, the night before King's Day, The Hague traditionally hosts the grand festival The Life I Live. Named after the famous hit by the Hague pop group Q65. With more than 40 acts and a great diversity of music styles in the heart of The Hague city centre. A great musicfestival and it's free too!
More information about The Life I Live
National Geranium Market on Lange Voorhout
During King's Day, a visit to the traditional Geranium Market on the Lange Voorhout should not be missed. Stallholders offer a wide selection of geraniums, summer flowering bedding plants, tub plants, perennials, succulents and small shrubs. You can also find gardening items such as plant tubs, flower boxes and small garden tools at the market.
More information about the Geraniummarket
King's Fair The Hague
From Friday 5 to Thursday 27 April 2025, the Malieveld will again be transformed into a grand King's Fair with attractions for young and old, something for everyone and affordable!
A smaller fair will take place on the Frederik Hendrikplein near the Frederik Hendriklaan from 18th April to 5 May 2025.
Kings Day cruises through The Hague canals
25 April: Kings Night on the Canal
During KoningsNacht in The Hague, you can take an evening cruise (with a group of up to 46 people). A 1-hour cruise costs €20.00. Own snacks and drinks are allowed, and there is a JBL speaker for music on board. More info? Mail to info@willemsvaart.nl.
26 April: Kingsday on the canal
Morning cruise 10.00 and 11.00 a.m.
In the morning, there will be a Breakfast Cruise in the Hofkwartier (one-hour cruise from Piet Heinplein towards Smidswater and back). On board is time for an exclusive Orange Breakfast.
The price for this cruise (including breakfast) is € 16,00 for children up to 11 years and € 27,50 for passengers aged 12 and over ( € 2,50 extra for ‘bubbles’).
Afternoon cruises (with the open boat)
At 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00 there are 50-minute drinks cruises
These start and end at the Piet Heinplein. The price is € 35,00 per person for the boat trip with ‘drinks snacks’
Covered tour is possible with the Salon boat this sails at 12:00, 13:30 and 15:00. These drinks cruises last 50 minutes. They start at the Dunne Bierkade. The price for the cruise including drinks is € 65,00 per person.
Advance booking is recommended for all cruises at info@willemsvaart.nl. For more information, visit willemsvaart.nl
King's Day at the Grote Markt
Barely recovered from The Life I Live, it is already time for the National nail-pooping and behaving cake-hopping. Unfortunately, Wilem-Alexander is playing an away game in Doetinchem with the whole family. Not to worry, you can continue partying in the Grote Markt.
With the following free performance (weather permitting) under the awning of the Black Rider by ChaChaChalina!
Led by singer and percussionist Chalina Smit and Venezuelan master percussionist Gerardo Rosales, this band brings an irresistible mix of Latin jazz and salsa. With their energetic and authentic sound, they know how to get any audience moving. Perfect for throwing the hips loose, for example on King's Day! Don't miss it - this is dance pleasure at its best
start (13:00) free entrance
Orange delicacies from The Hague bakeries and specialist shops
No King's Day without orange tompoucenes and other orange pastries from bakeries in The Hague! We would like to give you direct links to bakeries in The Hague so that you don't have to search any longer and can enjoy a quick bite:
- Bakery Boheemen
- Bakery Hessing
- Hop & Stork
- Bakkertje
- Dudok
And what about a bottle of Oranjebitter, the royal drink from the royal city? Van Kleef Oranjebitter has been traditionally produced according to the original recipe for many years.
Shopping on King's Day in The Hague
From 12:00 to 18:00, shops in the city centre will be open on Grote Marktstraat, Passage, Spuistraat, Venestraat, Wagenstraat and Vlamingstraat. Want to be sure the shop you want to go to is open? Then check the website of the shop in question.
Check the calendar with more music on King's Day and King's Night
Check out the places where it's fun until the wee hours with live performances, parties and events.
