Festivals in Belgium & The Netherlands: 2011

Jan 1: New Year’s Day Belgium & Netherlands

Feb: Carnival (Mardi Gras) Belgium & Netherlands

March 24-May 20: Spring Flower Show (huge gardens in bloom) Keukenhof Gardens (near Lisse, Netherlands)

April 16: Bloemencorso (25-mile flower parade) Noordwijk to Haarlem, Neth.

April 24-25: Easter Sunday and Monday Belgium & Netherlands

April 30: Queen’s Day (street fairs, parades, fireworks) Netherlands

May 1: Labor Day (some closures) Belgium & Netherlands

May 4: Remembrance of World War II Dead (Dodenherdenking) Netherlands

May 5: Liberation Day (Bevrijdingsdag)    Netherlands

May 11-15: Art Amsterdam (contemporary art exhibition) Amsterdam

June 2: Ascension Day (closures) Belgium & Netherlands

June 2: Procession of the Holy Blood (religious procession) Bruges, Belgium

June 3-18: Holland Arts Festival (concerts, theater, music ) Amsterdam

June 12-13: Pentecost and Whit Monday (closures) Belgium & Netherlands

June 17: Grachtenloop (run around canals) Haarlem, Netherlands

June 23-25: Amsterdam Roots Festival (ethnic food, music, world culture) Oosterpark, Amsterdam

July 5 & 7: Ommegang Pageant (historic costumed parade to Grand Place) Brussels

July 8-10: North Sea Jazz Festival Rotterdam, Netherlands

July 21: Independence Day (parades, fireworks) Belgium

Aug: Reiefeesten (open-air spectacle on canals held every three years) Bruges

Early-mid-Aug: Pluk de Nacht (outdoor film festival) Amsterdam

Aug 5-7: Gay Pride Weekend Amsterdam

Aug 12-21: Prinsengracht Canal Festival (music and other festivities) Amsterdam

Aug 13-15: Carpet of Flowers (held only in even years, next one in 2012) Brussels

Aug 15: Feast of the Assumption (closures) Belgium

Sept (first week): Flower parade on canals  Aalsmeer to Amsterdam, Netherlands

Sept 16-18: Jordaan Festival (neighborhood street party) Amsterdam, Netherlands

Oct 8: Yom Kippur (some closures) Netherlands

Nov 1: All Saints’ Day Belgium

Nov 11: Armistice Day (banks closed) Belgium

Mid-Nov: Sinterklaas ("Santa Claus") Procession Amsterdam

Late Nov-early Jan: "Winter Wonders" Christmas Market Brussels

Dec 5: St. Nicholas’ Eve (Sinterklaasavond; presents for children) Belgium & Netherlands

Dec 25: Christmas Belgium & Netherlands

Dec 26: "Second Day" of Christmas (Tweede Kerstdag) Netherlands

Rick Steves / Expatica