What's on in The Hague (Den Haag), Netherlands through the year

Peak crowds — New Year's dive at Scheveningen, Christmas holidays in Netherlands

• Festival

  New Year's dive at Scheveningen

  1 JanChristmas & New YearCrowded

  Ten thousand people run into the North Sea at noon on 1 January in orange hats and are handed pea soup on the way out. This is the original; every other Dutch town copied it. Source ↗

Still on: Autumn and winter gales (1 Oct – 28 Feb (usually))

Busy — Voorjaarsvakantie (February) holidays in Netherlands, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in February.

Still on: Autumn and winter gales (1 Oct – 28 Feb (usually))

Busy — Bulb fields in the Bollenstreek, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

• Nature

  Bulb fields in the Bollenstreek

  20 Mar – 15 May · usuallyWildflowers & bloomsCrowded

  The commercial fields between here and Haarlem run daffodils, then hyacinths, then tulips, and Keukenhof opens on the same clock. Peak tulip is usually the third week of April and it moves with the spring. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Bulb fields in the Bollenstreek, King's Day

• Holiday

  King's Day

  26–27 AprNational holidayCrowdedClosures

  The city the King actually lives in makes a day of it: stages across the centre, a street market from dawn and everything else shut. Trains in are full from mid-morning. Source ↗

Still on: Bulb fields in the Bollenstreek (20 Mar – 15 May (usually))

Peak crowds — Bulb fields in the Bollenstreek, Meivakantie (May) holidays in Netherlands

• Season

  Scheveningen beach season

  15 May – 20 Sep · usuallySea warm enough

  The pavilions along Scheveningen and Kijkduin run through the warm months. The North Sea is only briefly comfortable, and the wind decides which side of the pier anybody sits on.

Still on: Bulb fields in the Bollenstreek (20 Mar – 15 May (usually))

Busy — Vlaggetjesdag, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Vlaggetjesdag

  19–20 JunMajor festivalCrowded

  The new herring lands at Scheveningen harbour on a Saturday in June, the first barrel is auctioned for charity, and every boat on the quay is dressed with flags. Source ↗

Still on: Scheveningen beach season (15 May – 20 Sep (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in Netherlands, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in July.

Still on: Scheveningen beach season (15 May – 20 Sep (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in Netherlands, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in August.

Still on: Scheveningen beach season (15 May – 20 Sep (usually))

Busy — Prinsjesdag, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Holiday

  Prinsjesdag

  15 SepMajor festivalCrowdedClosures

  The third Tuesday of September: the King rides from Noordeinde to the Royal Theatre, the budget is read out, and the route is fenced and lined by mid-morning. Source ↗

Still on: Scheveningen beach season (15 May – 20 Sep (usually))

Busy — Herfstvakantie (autumn) holidays in Netherlands, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Hazard

  Autumn and winter gales

  1 Oct – 28 Feb · usuallyWind seasonClosures

  North Sea storms come in from October, and a named one closes the Scheveningen pier, cancels the ferries and puts sand across the boulevard. Good for watching, bad for cycling into. Source ↗

Busy — Sinterklaas, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

• Holiday

  Sinterklaas

  14 Nov – 5 Dec · usuallyChristmas & New YearCrowded

  Sint arrives by boat in mid-November and the country counts down to the evening of 5 December, which is the real family night here rather than Christmas. Shops are busiest in the last week of it. Source ↗

Still on: Autumn and winter gales (1 Oct – 28 Feb (usually))

Peak crowds — Sinterklaas, Christmas holidays in Netherlands

• Festival

  Royal Christmas Fair

  3–23 Dec · usuallyChristmas & New Year

  Three weeks of chalets down the Lange Voorhout under the plane trees, in front of the palaces. It is the one time of year the government quarter feels like a town square. Source ↗

Still on: Autumn and winter gales (1 Oct – 28 Feb (usually)), Sinterklaas (14 Nov – 5 Dec (usually))