3 October Festival
october festival dutch oktoberfeest simply oktober also leiden ontzet festival leiden netherlands held annually day leading rd often concludes evening following day observed since modern public celebration locally declared holiday since festival commemorates anniversary siege leiden eighty year war spanish army attempted capture city first siege lasted october march spanish returned may second attempt city neglected interim destroy spanish fortification outside city protective wall failed acquire enough additional provision sustain renewed siege even though warned advance spanish force impending return food supply dwindling leiden citizen despair spanish attempted infiltrate city within two month provision within leiden almost completely exhausted desperate improve morale mayor pieter adriaanszoon van der werff went far propose committing suicide constituent could eat body september army dutch rebel leader william silent began formulating plan liberate city began destroying dike near rotterdam order flood surrounding countryside however took several day enough wind direct water land toward leiden fierce storm aided effort night october nd rising tide caused portion leiden city wall begin crumbling coupled rising water level camp convinced spanish troop attack underway fled terror time hundred people within city perished due starvation according legend boy usually named cornelis joppenszoon left city night explore spanish troop destroyed camp found pot stew made carrot onion parsnip meat supposedly still warm undamaged water returned city informed everyone troop fled william soldier sailed leiden part makeshift military fleet dubbed watergeuzen sea beggar morning october rd headed north along vliet canal water deep enough support boat brought food supply leiden starving citizen food supply primarily consisted herring white bread haring en wittebrood reward city steadfast citizen withstanding spanish attack william established leiden university following year honor liberation leiden october day declared official city holiday celebrated variety activity event take place day leading october many city resident take october rd work school either participate enjoy festivity typical tradition include evening parade night october nd carnival market center city various theatrical performance historical reenactment memorial service st peter church pieterskerk commemorates traumatic event siege second parade take place afternoon october rd firework display later evening traditional meal associated festival herring white bread haring en wittebrood cleaned herring along small loaf white bread handed city resident free weigh house de waag dawn morning october rd prior registration ticket required evening october nd hutspot dish representative stew found spanish troop camp served event located hooglandsekerkgracht street center city leidenbased band rubberen robbies song drie oktober also commemorates festival lyric refer herring hutspot drinking partying june festival officially added netherlands national heritage list help combat large amount litter created festival attendee prevent disposable cup falling canal organizer switched cup deposit year well estimated per cent cup returned bar edition festival largely consisted remote event including october ontzettend live internet broadcast due covid crisis recent year october drawn criticism local resident business owner opt leave leiden festival due noise public drunkenness concern eight neighborhood association city center firmly opposed extension hour operation several business hotel close altogether discourage tourist visiting city festival underway bar cafe owner also protested high fee associated hosting food cart outdoor beer tap restroom expressing concern attendee bring alcohol home official website dutch