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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-30
Selection of the 12 Marie: A Beloved Venetian Tradition
On Saturday, January 31, the Selection of the 12 Marie took place at the Scuola Grande San Giovanni Evangelista . This is one of the Carnival's most beloved rituals, where 12 young women are chosen to serve as ambassadors of Venetian tradition . An eleven-member jury, chaired by the Carnival's artistic director Massimo Checchetto, selected the 12 young women who will appear in public spaces throughout the Carnival, wearing sumptuous costumes until February 17 . The tradition dates back to a historical event when the Doge gifted jewelry to twelve brides . Applications for the contest were open until January 29 .
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-30
Festa Veneziana: Traditional Water Parade Opens Carnival
The Carnival officially opened with the Festa Veneziana, a spectacular water parade along the Grand Canal on Sunday, February 1 . Around one hundred traditional boats, richly decorated and rowed by costumed rowers, paraded from Punta della Dogana to Rialto . The procession was led by the historic "Pantegana" (giant rat), a long-standing Carnival symbol that released confetti as it passed beneath the Rialto Bridge . The arrival at Erbaria was celebrated with music, dancing, and traditional food . One visitor from Poland noted: "It's beautiful, colourful people, everybody (is) happy around and it's all nice all over there here."
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-30
Grand Carnival Ball with Bridgerton Kicks Off Festivities
The first major event of the 2026 Carnival was the Gran Ballo di Carnevale con Bridgerton, held on Saturday, January 31, in St. Mark's Square . Produced in collaboration with Netflix to promote the launch of the series' fourth season, the square was transformed into an elegant open-air salon . Professional dancers in period costumes led the audience in collective dances, while a vertical dance performance with artists suspended on heliospheres left the crowd breathless . Mayor Luigi Brugnaro stated that the Carnival embodies a message of unity and collective growth in the spirit of Olympia .
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-30
Venice Carnival 2026 Opens with "Olympus – The Origins of the Game" Theme
The 2026 Venice Carnival officially opened on January 31 and will run through February 17, 2026, with this year's edition dedicated to the theme "Olympus – The Origins of the Game" . The theme was chosen to celebrate the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, weaving together myth, history, art, and sport . The carnival is recognized as one of the world's oldest and largest, famous for its mask culture and elaborate costumes
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-30
National and International News Coverage
King's Day 2026 attracted significant international media coverage, highlighting the event's status as one of the world's largest national celebrations . Key Coverage: The day was described as a "state of exception" by German media, with the country transforming into an orange party zone News agencies captured the vrijmarkt in The Hague, with people shopping for second-hand goods The celebration was called the "world's biggest birthday party" by international outlets Media highlighted the royal family's visit to Dokkum as a significant departure from recent tradition The King concluded his day in Friesland with the phrase "Fryslân boppe!" – a Frisian rallying cry meaning "Fryslân above all!" . https://images.pexels.com/photos/672884/pexels-photos-672884.jpeg Industry Summary King's Day 2026 was characterized by: Tighter Amsterdam rules: Stricter boat limits, higher fines, and crowd control measures following 2025's "unmanageable" event Dokkum royal visit: First royal visi
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-30
Klundert Celebrates Nostalgic "Koninginnedag" for Seniors
While the country celebrated King's Day, the town of Klundert held a special nostalgic Koninginnedag (Queen's Day) celebration for approximately 80 seniors on April 30 . Event Details: Organised by seniors organisations SVK and SPROK as compensation for a cancelled New Year's reception due to heavy snowfall The date of April 30 was chosen as the "old" date of Queen's Day, celebrated until 2013 Activities included a quiz, Klundert's version of the "Kwartieke" game, and singing by the MeeZingZangers choir A bingo session was held in the afternoon Organiser Kees Hendriks called it "the first and probably the last time" for such an event Participant Ans van Almen (96) noted she is among the few who have experienced all three queens – Wilhelmina, Juliana, and Beatrix – with Sjanie Waller adding "and Maxi!" .
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-30
Traditional Orange Pastries and Treats
Food traditions remained central to the celebrations, with orange-coloured pastries and treats widely enjoyed by revellers . Popular Treats: Orange tompouce: The iconic orange-glazed custard pastry was widely consumed across the country Poffertjes: Long queues formed at poffertjes stalls on the Willem Dreesplein in Schiedam Oranjebitter: Some seniors toasted with traditional orange liqueur In Schiedam, one reveller noted that the day's routine remains consistent: "I'll go home, sit by the television, and watch the king with an orange tompouce" .
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-30
Support for the Monarchy Remains Stable at 62%
A 2026 Ipsos I&O survey conducted for NOS found that support for the Dutch monarchy remains stable, with 62% of Dutch people favouring the monarchy . Key Findings: Support for republicanism dropped slightly from 22% in 2025 to 20% in 2026 69% of older citizens support the monarchy, compared to 52% of younger citizens Queen Máxima received the highest approval rating at 7.5 out of 10 The King and Princess Catharina-Amalia's ratings remained steady compared to 2025 The survey was conducted annually and is considered a key barometer of public sentiment toward the royal family .
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-30
King's Day Music Festivals and Entertainment
Music festivals across the country drew large crowds, with events in Amsterdam, Breda, Eindhoven, Groningen, and Maastricht . Festival Highlights: Breda's Chasséveld: Hosted the 538 Koningsdag music festival from noon Amsterdam: Festivals on the city's edges ran until 10pm to draw crowds from the centre The Hague: The Life I Live festival took over the city centre Vlaardingen: A festival featured artists including Mental Theo and La Fuente, alongside canal canoeing and a children's activity square Traditional activities also continued, including ringsteken (ring jousting) in Laren, Eemnes, and Tholen – a traditional equestrian sport associated with King's Day in some regions
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-30
Crowds and Municipal Interventions in Major Cities
Multiple Dutch cities reported overcrowding on King's Day 2026, prompting local authorities to intervene . City-by-City Overview: Amsterdam: Despite the mayor's plea to celebrate in local districts, the city centre was packed; the Bijlmerplein, Reestraat, and Bloemgracht reached capacity Utrecht: Stadhuisplein and Oudkerkhof were full; Maximalia on Janskerkhof was also closed to new visitors Eindhoven: Stadhuisplein and Begijnenhof were closed to new visitors Breda: The Havermarkt was operating a "one in, one out" policy The Hague: The Life I Live festival took over the city centre on King's Night The NS reported "busy but manageable" trains, with stations turning orange as revellers travelled to events . A nationwide ban on carrying alcohol onto trains ran from 7pm Sunday until 7am Tuesday .
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