Omroep West Leiden residents queued up early for herring and white bread
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 12:23
Today in Leiden there is a special edition of the Feast of Festivities, or the Relief of Leiden. The celebration is extra grand, because exactly 450 years ago the city was liberated from the Spanish.
Festivities in the city center commemorate the liberation of the city after the Spanish siege in 1574. It was the beginning of the Spanish retreat from the country: a historical turning point in the Eighty Years’ War.
Armin van Buuren and the king
Traditionally, the festivities started a day earlier with the fair, a parade and dance stages throughout the city. Several familiar elements are also on the program today. The day opened with communal singing during the reveille and eating herring and white bread, the food that the Water Beggars also distributed to the hungry inhabitants when they freed them.
But because of the anniversary year, the 3 October Vereeniging has gone the extra mile this year. For example, world-famous DJ Armin van Buuren, a born and bred resident of Leiden, gave a big show on the roof of a parking garage last night. The performance could be followed on screens all over the city and attracted a lot of interest.
And today King Willem-Alexander is coming to town. He takes a boat tour and visits a historical exhibition in Museum De Lakenhal. With his visit he maintains a tradition. Queen Juliana came to Leiden at the 400th anniversary commemoration in 1974 and Queen Wilhelmina was a guest in 1924.
The day started early in Leiden:
From herring to white bread: this is Leiden’s Relief
Another special feature are the two weddings today. Normally it is not possible to get married on October 3 in Leiden, but this year the municipality is making an exception because of the anniversary. Couples were able to register earlier this year and the two couples with the most beautiful love story got married today.
After the wedding ceremonies, the couples must immediately move on to the next activity: the Grand Parade, writes Broadcasting West.
Tonight the holiday traditionally ends with a fireworks show.
