We all hoped that King’s Day 2020 would be the only King’s Day from home, but this year you have to hang up the online garlands yourself. Therefore, here is an overview of activities to turn King’s Day 2021 into a digital party.
Celebrate King’s Day 2021 at home
During his speech last year, King Willem-Alexander said that he hoped it would be the very last King’s Day from home. Unfortunately, this is not the case and no one will be welcome on his birthday in 2021. He visits Eindhoven with his family, but due to the corona rules, there is no large parade and party in the city.
Instead, local Orange associations, companies and municipalities are calling on Dutch people to celebrate King’s Day 2021 at home. What can you do today? Well, quite a lot. Here is an overview of all outings on King’s Day 2021.
1. Online mat market
If you say King’s Day, you say the matjesmarkt. Just like last year, you can now roll out your digital mat in several places. The most famous place for this is Marktplaats. You can not only sell stuff on the most famous Dutch trading website, but also actively search for good deals.
Marktplaats works very simple. Take a picture of your dress and indicate in the description which items you sell. By being as clear as possible, you increase your chances of success. Then put your ad online and negotiate with customers to get a good price. Did you sell something? Then shoot a new picture of your rug and update the ad.
Do you have little with Marktplaats, or is there little supply in your area? Then try Facebook. You can find deals near you via the Marketplace tab of the social app. You can of course also become a seller yourself. Extra nice is that with advertisements you immediately see where the seller lives. So you can simply pick up your new asset on foot or by bike!
Also nice: My Webshop has a special promotion for King’s Day 2021. You can temporarily sell up to 50 products for free via your ‘digital mat’, ie your own online webshop. Normally you can only display 10 products in your store with the free package from the webshop provider. You have to sell quickly, because after the King’s birthday the limit will go from 50 to 10 again.
2. Digital outings
The national Orange Association has asked its local members to be extra creative this year so that King’s Day 2021 will still be a party, even if you are supposed to stay at home.
Do you want to know what is organized in your area? Then just google your place name followed by “orange association”. There is a good chance that a club near you has set up a special bingo, livestream on YouTube or (child-friendly) pub quiz, for example.
You can also enjoy this King’s Day Vondelpark Live. Normally, the Amsterdam park is full of children expressing their creativity, for example by playing an instrument or performing an act. This year all performances will take place online. Of course you can give the performers a digital pocket money.
And would you like a drink? Then raise your glass at 16:30 on the dot, together with all the mayors of the Netherlands. The mayor fathers and mothers of the Netherlands then toast to congratulate the King and through the website of National Toost you can watch.
3. ‘Visit’ the local catering industry
Cafés, restaurants and pubs are having a hard time. That is extra bitter this year, because most managers had hoped to achieve top sales on King’s Day 2021. Fortunately, the catering industry is not giving up and you can undertake all kinds of online activities.
For example, in many places it is possible to do a digital pub crawl and in some places even special party buses run through the streets. The local baker will undoubtedly still have some tasty tompouces and restaurants today serve the tastiest take-away meals.
Check out what is being organized in your area to give the catering industry an extra helping hand this day: they can use it very well.
Celebrate King’s Day 2021 with friends
Slowly but surely the end of the tunnel is coming into view, but we are not there yet. The national Orange Association and municipalities therefore advise people not to go on hort during King’s Day 2021.
If you still want to enjoy a social atmosphere, it is therefore best to do this by video calling. Admittedly, it is not a substitute for having a drink with friends, but you have to do something in these times. Most people are now used to video calling and there are many alternatives for meeting each other online.
Consider, for example, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet or Zoom. You can also video call each other with WhatsApp, the privacy-friendly Jitsi Meet and Apple users of course have FaceTime. In the guides below we explain exactly how it works.
- FaceTime Beginner’s Guide: 8 Tips for Novice Users
- Microsoft Teams: 11 tips for novice users
- WhatsApp video calling with 8 people now possible: this is how it works
- Zoom Beginner’s Guide: 10 Tips for New Users
Live music
Do you fancy some music? Then switch on at 20:00 to the online concert of The Streamers. This super band will give a concert at Noordeinde Palace. The Streamers includes Guus Meeuwis, Danny Vera, Kraantje Pappie and Armin van Buuren. Tickets are free, but you have to be quick because gone is gone.
Happy King’s Day!
The editors of iPhone wish you a happy King’s Day 2021. Do you have a good addition to this article? Let us know in the comments, or send an email to redactie@iphoned.nl.