National holidays (nationale feestdagen) in the Netherlands: Nieuwjaarsdag (New Year’s Day, 1 January), Goede Vrijdag (Good Friday), Eerste en Tweede Paasdag (Easter Sunday and Monday), Koningsdag (King’s Day, 27 April), Bevrijdingsdag (Liberation Day, 5 May — liberation from Nazi occupation in 1945, public holiday every 5 years), Hemelvaartsdag (Ascension Day), Eerste en Tweede Pinksterdag (Whit Sunday and Monday), Eerste en Tweede Kerstdag (Christmas Day and Boxing Day).
Koningsdag (King’s Day) on 27 April is the most spectacular. The entire country turns oranje (orange — the Dutch national colour, from the House of Orange-Nassau). Markets pop up everywhere — people sell old goods from their front gardens (the vrijmarkt — free market). The king travels to a different city each year. Amsterdam becomes a massive outdoor party with boats, music, and crowds in orange.
Remembrance and celebration: 4 mei is Dodenherdenking (Remembrance of the Dead) — two minutes of silence at 20:00 across the country, followed by 5 mei Bevrijdingsdag (Liberation Day) celebrations. These two days together form an emotionally powerful national ritual. Carnival (Carnaval) is celebrated in Catholic southern provinces (Noord-Brabant, Limburg) with parades and costumes, but is minimal in the Protestant north.