Draft:Flag Day (The Netherlands)

Flag Day in the Netherlands is, since 1947, an annual holiday in May or June that originally was held not only in Scheveningen, but also in various other fishing ports, such as IJmuiden and Vlaardingen.

History
Originally, Flag Day was the day on which fishing ships, decorated with flags, lay in the port; the Saturday before Pentecost. Test voyages on the herring luggers were made on Flag Day, to test the motors (which had stood dormant all winter), and to reset the compasses. On the days immediately following Pentecost, the first ships set out to go fishing for herring. That day became known as Herring Buss's day. Previously, this was strictly on the 15th of June. The prehistory of herring fishing is probably much older. Hence, on the 14th of September, 1781, dozens of barges lay ready for the departure, at which stadhouder Willem V was often present.