When spring arrives and the city of Amsterdam thaws out, so do its vibrant culture and festival scenes. The hotels in Amsterdam fill up with tourist and the city comes to life. The opening of the Keukenhof, the largest flower garden in the world, in the third week of March is for many residents the sign that spring has finally begun. Learn about some of the fantastic events and celebrations going on as this world-class city awaits the summer.

In early March, 5 Days Off arrives in Amsterdam. This massive music festival presents the latest and greatest in electronic music from around the world. Well-known international artists and emerging up-and-comers lead events the Melkweg, De Balie and Paradiso dance clubs. To balance out the heavy nightlife, the accompanying 5 Days On cultural program features art that can only be enjoyed in the light, including literary readings and a photo exhibition.

Roze Filmdagen (Pink Film Days in English) have been a staple of Amsterdam’s gay community for more than 15 years. The festival’s reputation for high-quality programming is well-known among attendees and film-industry insiders around the world. The festival is a great opportunity to catch features, documentaries and short films that don’t appear in mainstream movie houses. The aim of the festival is to promote thought and discussion and many of the films are in English or feature English subtitles.

The cabaret, or Kleinkunst, is an important cultural institution in the Netherlands. Amsterdam’s annual Kleinkunst Festival is the culminating event of the season, looking both into the future and into the past while maintaining an emphasis on quality.

The fifth annual Weekend of the Rolling Kitchens will take place this May at Amsterdam’s Westergasfabriek. Enjoy free admission to this event, where dozens of mobile kitchens set up shop in the park for four days, preparing a variety of delicious dishes at affordable prices.

In 1885, the Dutch celebrated the first-ever Queen’s Day. The tradition lives on to this day, as Amsterdam residents bedeck themselves from head to in orange and flood out into the streets to demonstrate their pride for the Dutch royals. Observe thousands of decorated boats jamming the narrow canals, peruse the wares of the festival’s many street vendors, enjoy child-friendly activities and attend parties on both Queen’s Day and Queen’s Night.

image via [Moyan_Brenn (I’m Back)]