Liberation Day Festival in Utrecht (Bevrijdingsfestival Utrecht)
5 May is Liberation Day in the Netherlands. The day marks the end of the occupation of the Nazi regime in the country during the World War II.
There have been so many horrific stories told about the war and they all come back during this time of the year, mostly on TV and culminating on the day of liberation. I personally have been to 2 transit concentration camps in the Netherlands (Vugt and Westerbork) and the death and labor concentration camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland.
However, Liberation Day nowadays has evolved along with the times and it now adapts a more generic theme about FREEDOM. So you can say it is Freedom Day Festival =)
It is very timely that the Liberation Day this year fell on the same day as the Ascension Day (Hemelvaartsdag) because then it is an official public holiday--ergo, no work! Liberation Day is only a non-working public holiday every 5 years in the Netherlands. So Dutchman and I decided to check out the Liberation Day Festival nearby at Park Transwijk.
The last time we attended this festival (which is a yearly thing) was perhaps 9-10 years ago? It has been a while for sure and we were in for a nice surprise.
The whole festival set up was different. There are now official gates with security check, which means the open park is barricaded with fences and volunteer watchers. There were also several podiums located in different sections of the park. About 5 podiums in total, each with its own theme. The whole atmosphere was a far cry from what we have experienced before that Dutchman and I felt suddenly very old, haha. The youth of today do things differently, huh.
Everyone was in high spirits, enjoying and partying. That is what I call freedom; freedom to party and enjoy life, which people back then during the Nazi Germany occupation didn’t have. Or in other parts of the world where strife and inequality still exists.
Visit Period: May 2016
Destination: Utrecht South (Utrecht), The Netherlands
Keep in touch and follow me on Facebook: Travel & Lifestyle Diaries by Dutched Pinay Travels
Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)
There have been so many horrific stories told about the war and they all come back during this time of the year, mostly on TV and culminating on the day of liberation. I personally have been to 2 transit concentration camps in the Netherlands (Vugt and Westerbork) and the death and labor concentration camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland.
However, Liberation Day nowadays has evolved along with the times and it now adapts a more generic theme about FREEDOM. So you can say it is Freedom Day Festival =)
It is very timely that the Liberation Day this year fell on the same day as the Ascension Day (Hemelvaartsdag) because then it is an official public holiday--ergo, no work! Liberation Day is only a non-working public holiday every 5 years in the Netherlands. So Dutchman and I decided to check out the Liberation Day Festival nearby at Park Transwijk.
The last time we attended this festival (which is a yearly thing) was perhaps 9-10 years ago? It has been a while for sure and we were in for a nice surprise.
The whole festival set up was different. There are now official gates with security check, which means the open park is barricaded with fences and volunteer watchers. There were also several podiums located in different sections of the park. About 5 podiums in total, each with its own theme. The whole atmosphere was a far cry from what we have experienced before that Dutchman and I felt suddenly very old, haha. The youth of today do things differently, huh.
Everyone was in high spirits, enjoying and partying. That is what I call freedom; freedom to party and enjoy life, which people back then during the Nazi Germany occupation didn’t have. Or in other parts of the world where strife and inequality still exists.
The torch of freedom.
People dancing with headphones. There was a long line to this dancefloor.
One of the podiums called Sena Talent Stage.
People coming out of the windows of a nearby (office) building to watch the festivities.
This is the Main Stage.
One big busy party at the park.
Another one of the podiums where Rammstein music was played.
The horses have their own police uniforms as well. Check their ankles =)
Visit Period: May 2016
Destination: Utrecht South (Utrecht), The Netherlands
Keep in touch and follow me on Facebook: Travel & Lifestyle Diaries by Dutched Pinay Travels
Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)
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