Koningsdag, or King’s Day, is a holiday in the Netherlands. An event celebrating the Dutch King’s birthday also happens at the Shipyards in North Vancouver.
Koningsdag takes place on April 27th, which is the date on which King Willem-Alexander was born in 1967. In 2025 the birthday celebrations on the North Shore took place on Saturday, May 3rd. There’s an afternoon of free family-friendly activities. At night there’s a party that includes food and drinks at the Pipe Shop for adults ages 19+.
See the Kings Day Dutch Network website for full details about the events.
North Vancouver Koningsdag King’s Day Events at the Shipyards
Koningsdag, which means King’s Day in English, is a national holiday in the Netherlands. It commemorates the birthday of that country’s king. Dutch communities across the world celebrate the occasion.
One of the biggest Koningsdag events in North America is the King’s Day Extravaganza organized by the Dutch Network here in Metro Vancouver. This year the event happened at the Shipyards in North Vancouver’s Lower Lonsdale District. The celebrations feature a free outdoor festival during the day and a ticketed party at night.
Both of the King’s Day events are worth checking out. The festivities are a great way to learn about, and celebrate, Dutch culture, music and traditional foods from both the Netherlands and Indonesia (the latter of which was a Dutch colony many years ago).
Where and When is King’s Day in Vancouver?
King’s Day is always on April 27th. However, the big celebrations at the Shipyards in North Vancouver in 2025 took place on Saturday, May 3rd.
The free festivities usually run from 11:00 am until 4:00 pm. They take place at the Shipyards in Shipbuilders’ Square and/or Shipyard Commons at 19 Wallace Mews as well as at the Pipe Shop at 115 Victory Ship Way.
The ticketed event, meanwhile, runs at the Pipe Shop from 6:00 pm until 11:00 pm. The venue is beside Shipbuilders’ Square, about a five-minute walk from the SeaBus terminal at Lonsdale Quay. It’s also right in front of the Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier (which is a really nice place to stay if you don’t want to drive home after your night of Dutch celebrations).
Vancouver Koningsdag Admission Details
The family-friendly activities between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm are free to attend. The evening event at the Pipe Shop, however, is ticketed. Tickets are around $70 per person (including online fees). Admission includes a couple of complimentary “borrelhapjes” appetizers/snacks and access to an open bar serving beer and wine. You can also buy dinner and cocktails on-site at the event if you want.
Tickets are limited to 400 people, which means you’ll want to get your tickets as soon as you can.
See the Kings Day Dutch Network website for full details about the events.
What to Expect at the Vancouver Koningsdag Event
The free event at the Shipyards in the morning and afternoon includes activities for all ages. There is a Dutch market with a variety of vendors, plus food trucks, games and other family-friendly activities.
For an idea of what to expect, the market two years ago had a cheese vendor, the Copperpenny Distillery (which uses equipment from the Netherlands), and a number of other food and product stalls, plus people from the Abbotsford Tulip Festival with beautiful fresh-cut flowers for sale. The Reckless Shipyards bike shop was also there offering free bicycle safety checks for anyone who wanted one, plus models of its Royal Dutch Gazelle e-bikes for people to examine and admire. Details about the participating vendors in 2025 were to be confirmed.
The family games and activities are available at Shipyard Commons from 11:00 am until 4:00 pm. The Dutch Market runs at the same time. Live music also happens. Expect lots of people at the event.
The special day concludes with the Dutch Network Dance Party at night. At that event there is music, dancing, eating and drinking. The party kicks off with music provided by DJ Rene Sloos followed by renowned Dutch DJ and BNer Ben Liebrand. There may have also been speeches from the Dutch Consul General and North Vancouver’s Mayor or other member of City Council.
At the ticketed party there is an open bar serving wine and beer throughout the night. The event also features a Copperpenny Distillery cocktail bar (where you have to pay for the drinks).
See the Kings Day Dutch Network website for full details about the event.
Other Information
Kings Day 2025 was hosted by the Dutch Network with support from the Dutch Business Club, De Esdoorn, DCABC and the Consulate General of The Netherlands.
Visit the Dutch Network website for more information about the event.
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- The City and District of North Vancouver
- Vancouver Cultural Events & Attractions
- Vancouver Festivals and Events
- North Vancouver Shipyards District
