International Youth Day is observed on August 12th under the auspices of the United Nations, drawing attention to issues affecting young people worldwide. In the Netherlands, youth organisations, schools, and local governments mark the day with events and campaigns focused on education, mental health, and youth participation in civic life. It is not a public holiday.
Public Holidays & Cultural Observances in the Netherlands 2026
View the official 2026 public holiday calendar for the Netherlands. Plan your long weekends, business operations, and celebrations around Dutch national holidays like King's Day and Easter.
Last verified: June 2026
Public Holidays & Observances List
International Literacy Day is observed on September 8th under the auspices of UNESCO, highlighting the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights. Dutch libraries, schools, and literacy organisations mark the occasion with reading programs and awareness campaigns aimed at both children and adults. It is not a public holiday.
Prinsjesdag, or "Princes' Day," is observed on the third Tuesday of September and marks the official opening of the Dutch parliamentary year. The King delivers the Speech from the Throne (Troonrede) at the Hall of Knights in The Hague, outlining the government's plans for the coming year, while the royal family travels through the city in the Golden Carriage. The day is steeped in ceremony, including military processions and a formal address by the Minister of Finance presenting the national budget.
World Teachers' Day is observed on October 5th under the auspices of UNESCO to recognise and celebrate the contributions of teachers worldwide. Dutch schools and education unions use the occasion to highlight the teaching profession and, in some years, to draw attention to ongoing concerns such as teacher shortages. It is not a public holiday.
Halloween is observed on October 31st in the Netherlands and has grown in popularity over recent decades, despite having no traditional roots in Dutch culture. Costume parties, trick-or-treating among children, and pumpkin decorations have become increasingly common, particularly in larger cities. It is not a public holiday and remains a smaller commercial event compared with the country's own autumn traditions.
St. Martin's Day, or Sint Maarten, is observed on November 11th in several regions of the Netherlands, particularly in the north and parts of Limburg, commemorating the life of St. Martin of Tours. Children go door to door in the evening carrying homemade paper lanterns, singing traditional songs in exchange for sweets and treats, in a tradition similar to trick-or-treating. It is not a public holiday but remains a cherished regional custom, especially among families with young children.
Sinterklaas Arrival Celebrations, or Intocht van Sinterklaas, take place in mid-November when Sinterklaas is said to arrive in the Netherlands by steamboat from Spain, accompanied by his helpers. The arrival is broadcast nationally and celebrated with parades in cities and towns across the country, marking the unofficial start of the Sinterklaas season leading up to December 5th. It is not a public holiday, but it is one of the most anticipated children's events of the Dutch calendar year.
St. Nicholas' Eve (Sinterklaas), or Pakjesavond, is observed on the evening of December 5th and is one of the most beloved family traditions in the Netherlands, centred on the legend of Sinterklaas delivering gifts to children. Families gather to exchange presents, often accompanied by playful poems, and children traditionally leave a shoe by the fireplace or door in the preceding weeks in hopes of small treats. It is not a public holiday, but for many Dutch families it carries more significance than Christmas itself.
Christmas Eve falls on December 24th in the Netherlands and, while not an official public holiday, is treated by many as a quiet evening of preparation ahead of Christmas Day. Some families attend a church service or a "kerstnachtdienst" (Christmas night service), while others gather for an early festive meal. Shops typically close earlier than usual in the afternoon.
Christmas Day, or Eerste Kerstdag, is a public holiday in the Netherlands marking the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Families gather for an elaborate Christmas dinner, often centred around a "gourmetten" meal, where guests cook small portions of meat and vegetables together at the table on a tabletop grill. Churches across the country hold Christmas services, and most shops and businesses remain closed for the day.
- Gathering for a "gourmetten" meal, where family and friends cook bite-sized food together at the table
- Attending a Christmas church service or kerstnachtdienst held the evening before or on the day itself
Boxing Day / Second Christmas Day, or Tweede Kerstdag, is a public holiday in the Netherlands observed on December 26th, extending the Christmas celebrations into a second full day off. Many families use the day to visit relatives they were unable to see on Christmas Day itself, continuing the tradition of festive meals and gift exchanges. Unlike in the UK, the day is not associated with major retail sales in the Netherlands.
- Visiting additional family members and relatives not seen on Christmas Day itself
- Continuing festive meals and leftovers from the Christmas Day feast
New Year's Eve, or Oudjaarsavond, falls on December 31st and is observed across the Netherlands with fireworks, parties, and the traditional eating of oliebollen and appelflappen (apple fritters). Many Dutch towns and cities see widespread private fireworks displays set off by residents at midnight, alongside organised public events in major cities. It is not a public holiday, though many businesses close early in the afternoon ahead of the evening's celebrations. ---
Complete Netherlands Public Holiday Calendar for 2026
Understanding which dates count as official public holidays in the Netherlands, and which are simply widely observed traditions, is essential for planning business operations, school schedules, and travel throughout 2026. The Dutch holiday calendar combines a relatively short list of statutory public holidays with a rich layer of cultural and religious observances that shape daily life without necessarily closing offices or shops. This guide lays out every key date for 2026, with the context needed to plan around them with confidence.
Official Public Holidays vs. Observances in the Netherlands
The Netherlands recognises a core set of public holidays under Dutch law and collective labour agreements, including New Year's Day, Easter Sunday and Monday, King's Day, Ascension Day, Whit Sunday and Monday, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day (Second Christmas Day). Liberation Day on May 5th is a notable exception, as it is only a statutory public holiday for public sector employees every five years, though many private employers choose to give staff the day off regardless.
Beyond this official list, the Netherlands has a calendar full of widely observed traditions that are not public holidays in the legal sense but still shape daily life significantly. Sinterklaas celebrations in early December, Carnival in the southern provinces, and Prinsjesdag in September are all deeply embedded in Dutch culture without triggering nationwide closures. Employers planning 2026 schedules should also note that Good Friday, while observed by many companies as a paid day off, is not a statutory public holiday in the Netherlands the way it is in several neighbouring countries.
Long Weekends and School Holidays in 2026
The Dutch public holiday calendar creates several reliable long weekends throughout 2026, particularly in spring, when Easter, King's Day, Liberation Day, Ascension Day, and Whit Monday cluster together between late March and early June. Ascension Day in particular often becomes a four-day weekend, as many workers also take the following Friday off.
School holidays in the Netherlands are scheduled regionally, split into northern, central, and southern zones to stagger demand on roads and at tourist destinations, and they do not always align with public holidays. Families planning travel around both public holidays and school breaks in 2026 should check the relevant regional school holiday calendar published by the Dutch government, since dates can shift by one to two weeks between zones.
Plan Ahead with the Printable PDF Calendar
A printable PDF version of the 2026 Netherlands holiday calendar is a useful reference for HR teams, schools, and families trying to keep statutory holidays, regional observances, and school breaks organised in one place. Having everything mapped out in advance makes it far easier to plan around King's Day, the Easter and Pentecost long weekends, and the busy Sinterklaas and Christmas season. Download our free printable 2026 Netherlands holiday calendar to keep every public holiday and cultural observance within easy reach throughout the year.