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Keukenhof
The world's largest garden (32-hectares) bursts with color during this eight week spring season. This showcase of flowers (particularly the elegant tulips and daffodils) attracts some 800,000 visitors to its flowery ramparts and is divided into theme gardens, sculpture routes and a children's exhibition known as Clever Clogs
Venue: The Keukenhof is located in the bulb-growing area between Amsterdam and The Hague
Date: 19 March to 21 May 2009
Time: 8am to 7.40pm
Website: www.keukenhof.nl

Queen's Day
The Queen Mother's birthday is a very festive occasion in the Netherlands, and Amsterdam goes all out to celebrate staging a street party which starts the night before and keeps going well into the early hours of the next day. Traditionally people attending wear orange (the Royal family is the House of Orange), and ensure they have a beer in hand. The party also resembles a giant jumble sale, with street trade unregulated for the day allowing people to display all their unused and unwanted goods on the street in the hope of selling it to passers-by. It is a great day for bargain hunters and party animals alike, particularly if the sun shines. For more information contact the tourist office on (0)20 201 8800.
Venue: The center of the action is at Vondelpark in the city center
Date: 30 April 2009

Amsterdam Pride
One of Europe's most popular and well-attended 'gay pride' festivals, Amsterdam's Pride takes place annually in early August. The highlight is the Canal Parade on the Saturday in which about 75 decorated craft carry revelers along the Prinsengracht, Amstel and Stopera canals to the delight of about 25,000 spectators. The festival includes a full program of street parties at different venues during the week, sporting events, an open-air film festival on the Nieumarkt and numerous theatrical and cultural events
Venue: Various places throughout the city
Date: 1-3 August 2008
Time: Parade: 2pm
Website: www.amsterdamgaypride.nl

Amsterdam Roots Festival
Now a major event on the global music calendar, Amsterdam's Roots Festival started in 1983 as a celebration of African music. Today the annual program draws top artists from everywhere around the world, and hordes of concertgoers who come to enjoy their talents. The festival opens each year with a massive free open-air concert in the Oosterpark, performances spanning six stages. During the rest of the festival week about 60 concerts are held at different venues around the city. The Roots Festival is part of the Holland Festival.
Venue: Various locations
Date: June 2009
Website: www.amsterdamroots.nl

Holland Festival
The Holland Festival is a yearly trend-setting and innovative presentation of the dramatic arts, the highlight of the cultural season in the Netherlands. During the month of June each year about 30 productions take to the boards across the full spectrum of the arts, music, opera, theater and dance. The program includes everything from pop music to topical high drama. A street café on Leidseplein serves as the festival center where bookings can be made.
Venue: Information and booking at The Festival Center, Stadsschouwburg, Leidseplein
Date: 31 May to 22 June 2009
Website: www.hollandfestival.nl

Amsterdam Dance Event
Europe's main electronic and dance music conference brings together more than 1,300 professionals from the international dance music community for a daytime conference and night time festival in Amsterdam's city center. Thousands of visitors dance the nights away at more than 12 clubs with top DJs and artists performing. The three-day program includes everything from electro to trance and house.
Venue: Various city center clubs, including Melkweg, Paradiso, Supperclub and Escape
Date: October 2009 TBA
Website: www.amsterdam-dance-event.nl

New Year's Eve in Amsterdam
On New Year's Eve locals and tourists pack into the streets and squares of central Amsterdam to celebrate before heading to one of the city's many bars and clubs. Dam Square and the Leidseplein become the center of most of the revelry and as midnight approaches the sky is lit up with fireworks. The atmosphere in the bars is festive and friendly, though a little seedy around the red light district. Many nightclubs offer New Year specials with top DJs and performances. For more information contact the Amsterdam Tourist Office on +31 (0)20 551 2525 or email info@amsterdamtourist.nl
Date: 31 December annually

Arrival of St Nicholas
The true story of Santa Claus began in the 3rd century when St Nicholas (the Bishop of Myra) dedicated his life to helping the poor and needy. Through the centuries many stories and legends have been told about St Nicholas' life and deeds, but he is best known today for giving presents to children. His birthday is commemorated on 6 December and three weeks before, he arrives in Amsterdam on a ship and rides a white horse to Dam Square. The arrival of St Nicholas is a festive occasion; musical bands and Black Peters accompany him on bicycles with acrobats, clowns and animals to entertain the children. For more information contact the Amsterdam Tourist Office on +31 (0)20 551 2525 or email info@amsterdamtourist.nl
Venue: Central Station, Amsterdam
Date: 16 November 2008
Website: www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=105

Holland Flowers Festival
A huge plant and flower show, the Holland Flowers Festival is an annual riot of color and fragrance with a vast array of tulips, irises, daffodils and other blooms covering the halls. An accompanying fair showcases hundreds of house and garden products.
Venue: The Greenery, Centrale Markt 5, Zwaagdijk-Oost
Date: February 2010, TBA
Time: 10am to 10pm
Website: www.hollandflowersfestival.nl

Uitmarkt
Every year Uitmarkt heralds the official beginning of the cultural season in Holland and is a celebration and introduction to the forthcoming cultural activities in the city. Stages are erected all over the city and offer a wide variety of free performances, including theater, music, dance, street theater and film, as well as numerous workshops around Leidseplein and Museumplein. There are also hundreds of cultural institutions on hand to provide information about their upcoming events and publishers with their latest editions. Contact the Amsterdams Uit Buro for more information on +31 (0)20 621 1211 or email the Amsterdam Tourist Office info@amsterdamtourist.nl
Venue: Various
Date: August 2009 TBA

Cannabis Cup
Amsterdam is equally famous for the relaxed attitude towards marijuana as it is for tulips, canals and Van Gogh; and the Cannabis Cup is a celebration of the narcotic that attracts many high-minded tourists who want to partake openly in its appreciation. High Times Magazine sponsors the event and gathers all the best spliff around to sample and ultimately be awarded with the prestigious Cannabis Cup. The event is steadily increasing in popularity and attracts thousands of curious spectators each year who can purchase seeds and winning weed throughout the festival. However it is not all about getting high, as promoters also try and persuade visitors to the global benefits of the hemp industry.
Venue: NDSM wharf
Date: 23-27 November 2008
Website: www.cannabiscup.com

International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam
One of the top documentary festivals on the international calendar sees over 180 entries and over 60,000 film fanatics, industry professionals and passers by in attendance. The films focus on everything and anything of interest and there are concurrent mini festivals, or themed showings, within the IDFA. The documentaries compete for feature length, short, and newcomer prizes.
Venue: Various
Date: 20-30 November 2008
Website: www.idfa.nl

Dance Valley Festival
There is no denying the popularity of this hugely important festival on the dance calendar. The top names in the international electronic music scene enthral the 60,000 odd fans for whom this has certainly become one of the annual highlights of the contemporary dance scene.
Venue: Spaarnwoude Recreation Ground
Date: 12 July 2009
Time: 10am to 11pm
Website: www.dancevalley.nl

ING Amsterdam Marathon
The popular marathon is one of the top twelve in the world and part of the IAAF Golden League. Runners from all over the world enjoy the flat terrain, stunning architecture and little traffic that characterizes the Amsterdam Marathon. The race dates back to 1975 and is recognized as one of the most professionally organized and enjoyable races on the athletics calendar.
Venue: Olympic Stadium
Date: 19 October 2009
Website: www.amsterdammarathon.nl/home/index.php

De Parade
De Parade is a traveling theater festival that visits Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht for about 6 weeks in total before culminating with 17 days of performances as one of the highlights of the August in Amsterdam festival. Audiences can enjoy a variety of theater dance, magic, art and animation. Families are most welcome and there are children's shows throughout the afternoon.
Venue: Martin Luther King Park
Date: August 2009 TBA

Canal Festival
The Grachtenfestival (Canal Festival) is nine days of classical music appreciation along the canals of the capital city and a few indoor areas. A number of concerts are performed culminating in the Prinsengracht concert, which takes place on a floating stage.
Venue: Various
Date: August 2009 TBA
Website: www.grachtenfestival.nl

pAn Amsterdam
The leading national art and antiques fair of the Low Countries has an incredible variety to offer collectors. Whether an antique in the business or a newcomer just browsing, one may happily peruse for hours the sheer diversity of ceramics, jewelry, furniture, silver, glassware, manuscripts, ornaments, clocks, sculptures, paintings, photographs& the list goes on and on.
Venue: Amsterdam RAI-Parkhal
Date: 23-30 November 2008
Time: 11am to 7pm
Website: www.pan-amsterdam.nl

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