In Amsterdam, even more partygoers are expected than in previous years – can the city of Koningsdag be able to handle?

There are two T-shirts, a flower garland and hats in his transparent plastic bag. All orange. Because Evan Mcintyre, a 28-year-old marketing employee from London, came to Amsterdam with a goal: celebrating King’s Day. « Friends of mine live here, this seemed like a good time to visit them, » he says the day before King’s Day on Dam Square – where the number of people with Oranje Parapernalia is steadily increasing. « We sit down on the canal and drink a lot, » says McINTYRE.

Can Amsterdam handle King’s Day? That question is above the capital this Saturday. The municipality was « concerned about the crowds, » she announced in mid -April. Amsterdam expects even more partygoers than the hundreds of thousands of people from recent years. King’s Day also falls on a Saturday, then visitors stay longer. Sunny weather also attracts extra people. The city council has called « To avoid the center » and to celebrate the holiday « locally » as much as possible.

« The public space and facilities are at their maximum tax to keep King’s Day manageable, festive and safe, » writes the city. Emergency services still have to be able to go through the masses. In 2024, the municipality closed the access roads to the overcrowded Westerstraat. Later in the day she called on the entire Jordaan to avoid, the center of the King’s Day. « By celebrating King’s Day closer to home, you help keep the city safe and accessible. »

Everywhere in the city, stages are built on Friday afternoon, crush barriers and toilet cages are prepared. On the Kees Fensbrug over the Keizersgracht, the spot is taped with gray tape where Deejay Average Joe can perform. Many canals have already ‘occupied’ the sidewalk on the sidewalk. At café De Barkend Vis, they decorate the facade with a meter-long banner from King Willem-Alexander and the text « you all get a ribbon »-a reference to the Lintjessaga around PVV minister Marjolein Faber.

Extra plaspherity

With some drift, 71-year-old Anne (« no last name in the newspaper ») creates the pink primulas from the bed for her house in the Jordaan. She throws the flowers in the sidewalk gutter. « Last year I had to create the poo and puke from my bed, so now I take the flowers away. Amsterdam is for the Amsterdammers and for everyone who loves the city, you know that if you live here. But on King’s Day it is very busy. » Last year Anne saw dozens of men do their needs through her window against a fence right after the pee columns. « Then you get a very sad idea of ​​humanity. » Sunday she plants geraniums in her bed.

To provide for the shortage of toilets, especially for women, the municipality has placed 528 WCs this year. That is 133 more than last year. At the HEMA retail chain, Dutch people were able to request a ‘home toilet package’, which includes free toilet brushes, sanitary napkins and toilet roles. The goal is to create extra plas option. Residents hang a poster in front of the window, with which they indicate that their toilet is available. Around forty places are indicated on an overview ticket in Amsterdam.

We do everything we do to let people in Comfort experience their King’s Day

In the Second Boomdwarsstraat, around the corner at the barking fish, Mick Werkendam demonstrates ‘super proud’ how he can close the street with orange fences with ‘Exit Only’. Werkendam is a crowd manager at the municipality of Amsterdam. With cameras and information from ‘eyes on the spot’, he must intervene if it gets too busy. The operation has been prepared for months and has 250 traffic controllers alone. « We do everything we can to let people in Comfort experience their King’s Day, » says Werkendam. « As soon as that is no longer possible, we intervene, for example, by closing streets, not calling to the Jordaan or not to come to Amsterdam at all anymore. »

Abba and Edith Piaf

Isn’t that fighting against the beer quay? « No, then we would have to cancel parties, » says Werkendam. « The power of Amsterdam is that we give entrepreneurs the space. » Partygoers must behave, « but we don’t want to be a teaching. » In addition to planning walking routes, Werkendam also thinks about music choice. He sometimes told other media to ask deejays to play abba instead of house. « That started to lead a life of his own, but that is good. I hope people think: let me celebrate King’s Day outside the center. » Werkendam is not about Abba: « With Edith Piaf you also get things quiet ».

Amsterdam also tries to do something about drinking, in order to control the masses. For example, retailers in the city center of Amsterdam are only allowed to sell one drink per person – and that beer should not be cooled. « We hope to dampen alcohol consumption in this way, » says a municipal spokesperson. « Enforcers and police can appeal to people on the street when they have more than a can or bottle of alcohol with them. Maintaining is a final piece, more important is that people stick to the rules and everyone can celebrate a pleasant King’s Day. »

When the King’s Day festivities ended on Saturday evening at 8 p.m., it will be clear whether Amsterdam has played the crowds. « It is fantastic to be the spider in the web, » says Werkendam, « I hope we have had a great party. » He himself celebrates that with Oranjetompouce and a bowl of strong coffee in the operational mobility center in the Johan Cruijff Arena, his control room. « You have party animals and workhorses. »

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