The 30th of April is an official public holiday: Koninginnedag, the birthday of the former queen, Juliana. Her daughter Beatrix has kept it as a public holiday in tribute to her mother. Members of the Royal Family visit two Dutch towns on Koninginnedag.
All over the country, people dress in orange. The flags fly with an orange pennant, the symbol of the Royal House of Orange-Nassau. The party lasts the entire day. Separate parties are often organised for children. Most big cities allow unregulated street markets, where anyone may sell anything on the street. And there is music everywhere.
