Celebrating freedom? Here's where you need to be on May 5

On May 5 we celebrate freedom, and we do it in style. From intimate Freedom Meals to festivals with thousands of visitors – here are six inspiring tips for Liberation Day 2025.

On May 5th, we celebrate freedom – and we do it in style. From intimate Freedom Meals to festivals with thousands of visitors: Liberation Day 2025 is full of meaningful and festive moments.

The Free West | Amsterdam

Monday, May 5, 2025 marks a historic milestone: 80 years of freedom in the Netherlands. And where better to celebrate that than in the middle of the bustling Westerpark during Het Vrije Westen? Nine stages, dozens of acts and one powerful message: we celebrate freedom together.

Freedom Meals | all over the Netherlands

Freedom Meals are organised all over the country on 5 May. At long tables with acquaintances and strangers, you share stories, insights and a good plate of food. An accessible way to reflect on the importance of freedom. 

Curious where you can join? The official map shows where a Freedom Meal is taking place near you.

Liberation Pop | Haarlem

Bevrijdingspop Haarlem has been a fixture on the calendar since 1980 and celebrates not only 80 years of liberation but also 45 years of music and freedom this year. Thousands of people gather in the Haarlemmerhout to enjoy an impressive line-up, with names such as Di-rect, Altin Gün, Bizzey, My Baby and Rico & Sticks.

But Haarlem is certainly not the only place where there is a party: on May 5, 14 Liberation Festivals will be organized – in every province, and in the capital Amsterdam and the royal city of The Hague. View all locations here. 

Walking or cycling in freedom | all over the Netherlands 

Not so much into crowds and stages? On May 5, there are beautiful walking and cycling routes throughout the country around the theme of freedom. For example, you can cycle the Tour de Waal, past castles, forts and war monuments. Prefer to walk? The Path of Freedom around Wageningen is a route of 150 kilometers - divided into stages - that takes you past 18 villages and cities in the region. 

May 5 Concert on the Amstel | Amsterdam

With the Royal Theatre Carré as a backdrop and the Magere Brug in the background, the annual 5 May concert forms the final part of the national celebration. Yves Berendse and Noraly Beyer present the evening full of music, stories and symbolism – in the presence of the king, queen and prime minister. The concert can be experienced live from the quays around the Amstel. Can't make it? No worries: from 20.30:1, NOS will broadcast the concert live on NPOXNUMX.