Amsterdam center, canals filling up with King's Day celebrators

The King's Day festivities in Amsterdam are kicking off. The city center steadily got more and more crowded towards the end of the morning. The first boats full of revelers are on the canals. And the free market has started in the Vondelpark, Het Parool reports.

The atmosphere is very festive, with loud music from party boats mixing with that from speakers on the street. A steady stream of people moves from Amsterdam Central Station into the city center as partiers from outside the capital arrive. The daytrippers are a mixed group of children, older people, friends, and couples.

Multiple music festivals and parties are happening in Amsterdam today, including Oranjebloesem in the Olympic Stadium and the Kingsland Festival at RAI. There are also parties in the capital's outskirts, including Loveland van Oranje in the Meerpark in Amsterdam Oost. Tickets for some festivals are sold out, but hopefuls can try their luck on Ticketswap.

Revelers in Amsterdam center are only allowed one alcoholic drink on the street. Shops can also only sell one per person at a time, and supermarkets are not allowed to sell cooled alcoholic drinks. A sixpack or a mini-keg counts as more than one drink, the city stressed. No alcohol is allowed in the train stations or on trains.