By Lara Neervoort
— King’s Day is the best day of the year to score those vintage pumps, records or one-of-a-kind sunglasses for less than five euros! Everyone is out on the street selling their stuff, making King’s Day a bargain hunting frenzy. But you do need to know where to find the best secondhand wares, because you can easily get lost in the madness of used toys and orange trash. Here are the best places to find the hidden treasures on King’s Day:
(1) Roest Vrijmarkt
Amsterdam’s Roest is a familiar name among AUC students. Multiple Solace borrels have taken place at the industrial location facing the water, and on King’s Day it will provide the perfect space for AUC students to enjoy the day while staying within our lovely neighborhood. Roest organizes a large neighborhood flea market that will move indoors into the massive industrial hall if it starts to rain – a great option, seeing that the weather forecasts for Monday are not looking so good. Event link – click here.
(2) NDSM Vrijhaven King’s Day
The NDSM Werf in Noord is known for its hip and alternative vibe, with the flea market held at IJhallen every month and the different food hot spots such as Pllek and Noorderlicht. During King’s Day, there is a large and varied event at NDSM called “Vrijhaven.” You arrive at the location with the “Feestpont,” so your party will already start on the ferry, and next to the flea market, there is a roller-skating disco, two large music festivals and a lot of delicious food stands. This is the best way for the treasure hunter to combine bargain finding with all other aspects of King’s Day! Event link – click here.
(3) Vondelpark
If you think about second hand shopping on King’s Day, you immediately think of the Vondelpark. The whole park is crowded with people, mainly children, selling their stuff. A walk through it definitely gives you a sense of the original “King’s Day.” Although most buys will be second hand toys and old clothes, the true hunter can find his or her treasure here. It is also cute to see how children come up with all sorts of other creative ways to make money, such as making music or performing dance acts. The Vondelpark is a must see on King’s Day, but beware of the crowds as this event is on almost everyone’s list.
(4) Utrechtsestraat
The Utrechstestraat is a long street that connects Rembrandtplein and Frederiksplein and is filled with authentic little shops. During King’s Day, most of the shops sell their collection in front of the store, for only a fraction of the original price, so this is the exact location the fashionable treasure hunter needs to be. If you start at Frederiksplein, you can first visit the children’s flea market and then continue to the Utrechtsestraat. Another nice square nearby is the Amstelveld, where again a lot of treasures can be found. Along the Utrechstestraat there will be food stands as well, so you don’t have to go hungry during your shopping spree.
The Herring 