King’s Day 2025: Spontaneous plans and last-minute decisions shape the celebration

TicketSwap data reveals a surge in ticket activity leading up to King’s Day

Amsterdam, April 22, 2025 – This year, the Dutch are celebrating King’s Day differently than in years past: with fewer large-scale festivals and more spontaneous, last-minute plans. According to data from TicketSwap, many partygoers are only deciding at the eleventh hour if — and more importantly, where — they’ll celebrate. This trend is driving a noticeable spike in ticket activity in the final days before the event and is expected to lead to busier streets, especially around free events in city centres.

Despite King’s Day’s enduring popularity, the number of festivals has dropped significantly this year. Rising production costs, high inflation, and mounting pressure in the festival market have made it increasingly difficult for organisers to host events that are both profitable and meet visitors' expectations. Major festivals that drew large crowds last year — like Oranjebloesem and Kingsland Rotterdam — are absent this year. The total number of events now stands at 496, down from 760 in 2024 — a 34.7% decrease.

Even with fewer festivals, the energy among partygoers remains high. TicketSwap has seen a clear surge in ticket activity just ahead of King’s Day:

- Ticket sales are still 27.8% below last year’s levels, but have climbed nearly 90% week-over-week heading into the holiday.

- Listings have also risen sharply: up 80% compared to the previous week.
- While ticket alerts are 20% lower than they were around this time last year, the past week has seen a 125% increase.

On King’s Day 2024, 32,610 ticket alerts were created by 21,000 unique users — an increase of nearly 150% in just 24 hours. A similar surge is expected this year, with many events likely to sell out last-minute.

“Timing definitely plays a role,” says Oscar Kriek, Partnerships Director at TicketSwap. “King’s Day falls shortly after Easter weekend, which featured crowd-pulling events like DGTL, Paaspop, and Thuishaven. Many people weren’t ready to start planning for King’s Day right away, but we’re now seeing a clear uptick in last-minute ticket activity.”

Despite this surge, total ticket sales still trail last year’s numbers. “According to research by Deloitte, Nibud, and the universities of Tilburg and Leiden, the financial situation for 18–24-year-olds has worsened. Combined with rising costs, that’s pushing a growing group to opt for free alternatives, which are in abundance on King’s Day.”

The data shows that festivals outside Amsterdam are especially in demand. Events like Oranjebitter (Rotterdam) and Oranjeroes (The Hague) are seeing high interest. Oranjeroes, in fact, has already sold out ahead of its very first edition. Its success is thanks to a strong lineup — including Franky Rizardo and Joris Voorn — extended opening hours, and the fact that it’s the only large-scale event in the area.

Intimate, carefully curated events with loyal fan bases are also thriving. CLUB NO WIFI x NOUW (by Paradigm) and Intercell x Pegassi are among this year’s crowd favourites, both seeing a sharp rise in ticket alerts. Artists like Malugi, Benwal, and Pegassi are driving serious demand. These night-time events are the perfect afterparty following a day of street festivities, and their limited capacity only adds to their appeal.

The Intercell team is excited to celebrate King’s Day with their audience: "We have a loyal crowd, and we always listen to their feedback. This year, we nailed it and we can’t wait for this Saturday."

While the streets are expected to be awash in even more orange this year, partygoers still have plenty of events and activities to explore via: ticketswap.com/collection/kingsday