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. The birthday celebrations on the North Shore feature an afternoon of free, family-friendly activities. At night, there is party that includes food and drinks at the Pipe Shop for adults ages 19+.
For full detail about the events, see the Kings Day Dutch Network website.
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. In 2024 the event happened at the Shipyards in North Vancouver’s Lower Lonsdale District. The celebrations featured a free outdoor festival during the day and a ticketed party at night. It’ll likely be the same in 2025.
Both of this past year’s King’s Day events were well 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
King’s Day is on Saturday, April 27th. The big Lower Mainland birthday celebrations in 2024 were at the Shipyards in North Vancouver. In the past they’ve happened elsewhere, in the City of Vancouver.
In 2024 the free festivities ran from 11:00 am until 4:00 pm. They were going to take place outdoors in Shipbuilders’ Square at 19 Wallace Mews which is at the bottom of Lonsdale Avenue. Because rain was in the forecast, the daytime event moved just a few steps away to Shipyard Commons (which is a massive covered area, so perfect regardless of the weather).
The ticketed event, meanwhile, ran from 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm at the Pipe Shop. The venue’s address is 115 Victory Ship Way. It’s beside Shipbuilders’ Square, about a 5-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).
Admission Details
The outdoor activities on King’s Day between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm were free to attend. The evening event at the Pipe Shop, however, was ticketed. General admission cost about $70 per person (including online fees). Tickets were limited and included free food and access to an open bar (where only the cocktails cost extra)! That’s right, admission included complimentary wine and beer!
For full detail about the events, see the Kings Day Dutch Network website.
What to Expect
The free event at the Shipyards in the morning and afternoon of April 27th in 2024 included activities for all ages. There was a Dutch market with around 20 vendors, plus a couple of food trucks, games for children and other family-friendly activities.
With the market, there was a cheese vendor, the Copperpenny Distillery (which uses equipment from the Netherlands), and a number of other food and product stalls, plus folks 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 their Royal Dutch Gazelle e-bikes for people to examine and admire.
The family games and activities were available at Shipyard Commons from 11:00 am until 4:00 pm. The Dutch Market ran at the same time. Live music also happened, with the Polkas Partners at noon and the band Jazzillion at 2:00 pm. There were lots of people at the event!
The special day concluded with the Dutch Network Dance Party at night. At that event there was music, dancing, eating and drinking. The party kicked off with music provided by DJ Rene Sloos followed by speeches from Consul General Sebastiaan Messerschmidt and North Vancouver’s Mayor Buchanan. The dance party continued with the popular Dutch DJ Ben Liebrand.
At the ticketed party there were multiple food stations scattered around the venue and an open bar serving wine and beer throughout the night. The event also featured free books, photo opportunities and a Copperpenny Distillery cocktail bar.
(Note: As of mid-April, the evening event was already sold out. You could still attend the free, family-friendly event. You didn’t need tickets for that. Unfortunately, though, many people were too late to buy tickets for the adults-only party. If you want to go next year, buy your tickets well in advance!)
Other Information
Kings Day 2024 is hosted by the Dutch Network with support from the Dutch Business Club, De Esdoorn, DCABC and the Consulate General of The Netherlands.
For more information about the event, visit the Dutch Network website.
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
- April Calendar of Events
- North Vancouver Shipyards District
