2024 Dutch “King’s Day” Windmill Festival in Golden Gate Park (SF)

SFKingsDay

Normally the Murphy Windmill (the largest in the world when it was built in 1908) sits majestically, but silently watching over the southwest corner of Golden Gate Park which no longer needs it to pump the 40,000 gallons of water a day it used to before electric pumps took all the glory.

But on April 27, 2024, the brakes come off and the windmill will turn once again in honor of “Kings Day,” an annual festival celebrating Dutch culture and traditions.

The day typically kicks off  with an orange-clad bike ride through the park starting at 10:30 a.m. (yet to be announced for 2024 as of 2/13/24) and ends with a big picnic underneath the windmill with vendors selling Dutch beer, stroopwafels and pickled herring, a kids toy exchange (called a “Vrijmarkt”) and traditional Dutch children’s games like zaklopen, spijkerpoepen and kroonwerpen.

Saturday, April 297 –  Noon – 5 p.m., Murphy Windmill, Golden Gate Park, S.F., Free. sforanjecomite.com

The Dutch community in San Francisco invites you to celebrate King’s Day 2024 near the Murphy Windmill on the south end of Golden Gate Park to celebrate Dutch culture and traditions, including traditional Dutch games, flea market, Dutch food, beer, music & more.

2024 King’s Day
Saturday, April 27, 2024 | Noon – 5 pm
Murphy Windmill, Golden Gate Park
FREE – donations are appreciated

The festival is located at the Murphy Windmill in the south west corner of Golden Gate Park near MLK Jr. Drive and Lincoln Way.

RSVP on Facebook

Wear Orange: The Netherlands’ national color is orange because the Dutch monarchy is the “House of Orange.” You will see it in abundance on King’s Day, so grab all of the orange you have in your closet (dust off that Halloween and Giants gear).

Dutch King’s Day San Francisco is a day to celebrate the birthday of the Dutch King, Willem Alexander van Oranje. You can call it a phenomenal street party where a crowd of over 3,000 young and old, has “orange fever.”

There is music, multiple ‘Typically Dutch’ activities, and food trucks that offer Dutch delicacies. Dutch King’s Day San Francisco is a day not just for Dutch expats or Dutch Americans, but a celebration to share with the Dutch San Francisco Bay Area community and beyond.

SF King’s Day 2024

Help celebrate Dutch culture and traditions, including old Dutch kids games, a flea market, win amazing prizes at our raffle, Dutch food, beer, music & dancing at the Dutch Windmill in Golden Gate Park. Free Valet Bicycle Parking, provided by the SF Bicycle Coalition, will keep your bicycle safe during the festivities.  

Fun for non-Dutch & Dutchies! No need to speak Dutch and / or have any relationship with of ties into Holland. Just come!  

• Noon – 5pm: DJ
• Noon – 5pm: Flea Market
• Noon – 5pm: Foodtrucks with typical Dutch treats
• 1pm – 3pm: Childrens Games (Silicon Valley Dutch School)
• 2pm – 2.30pm: Speech
• And more to come…..

Donate!

The success of this free event depends on the generosity of our guests. Please consider making a donation at the entrance of the event. Thank you!

Orange

Our national color is orange, because the Dutch monarchy is the “House of Orange”. You will see it in abundance on King’s Day. So grab all the orange you have in your closet (dust off that Halloween and Giants gear!)

History

The royal celebrations were first held on 31 August 1885 in honour of the birth of Queen Wilhelmina, and the Queen’s Day (Koninginnedag) tradition was born. After Wilhelmina’s daughter (Juliana) succeeded to the throne in 1949, the day was changed to 30 April in accordance with the new Queen’s birthday. When she became queen, the now Princess Beatrix chose to retain the day in honor of her mother but as of 2014, King’s Day is officially celebrated on 27 April (the king’s birthday).