October 21 - Annniversary of Antilles Day

Posted on October 21, 2021 

This is an update of my post published on October 21, 2010:

The Netherlands Antilles (aka the Dutch Antilles) was the name of a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was located in the Caribbean Sea and was made up of five major islands. (For a while, a sixth island, Aruba, was part of the Dutch Antilles.) On October 21 each year, stores and offices and schools closed up for a national holiday called Antilles Day.

But the Netherlands Antilles dissolved in 
October of 2010, so this holiday is no more!

The five islands had different fates. Three of them—Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius—became special municipalities of the Netherlands, but the other two—Curaçao and Sint Maarten—became constituent countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Aruba

 

Bonaire

Saba

Sint Eustatius

Curaçao

Sint Maarten

Also on this date:

Anniversary of the first Apple Day in the U.K. 

Singer Celia Cruz's birthday

G4G Day

Reptile Awareness Day

Remembrance Day in Serbia

Armed Forces Day in Honduras

St. Ursula's Day in the British Virgin Islands

Ndadaye Day in Burundi

Birthday of animator and Disney Legend Mary Blair

Plan ahead:

Check out my Pinterest boards for:

• October holidays
• October birthdays
• Historical anniversaries in October
  

And here are my Pinterest boards for:

• November holidays
• November birthdays
• Historical anniversaries in November
  
  
  
  
  

October 21, 2010

Antilles Day (?)

It's interesting to find out about holidays I didn't even know existed in places I'd hardly heard of—but, in this day of tons and tons of info at my fingertips, courtesy of the Internet, what I find interesting about this particular holiday and place is that I cannot find out what I want to know!

The Netherlands Antilles was the name of a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was located in the Caribbean Sea and was made up of five major islands. On October 21 each year, stores and offices and schools closed up for a national holiday called Antilles Day.

But the Netherlands Antilles dissolved earlier this month (October 10), so my question is, will this holiday even happen this year?

The five islands have different fates. Three of them—Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius—became special municipalities of the Netherlands, but the other two—Curacao and Sint Maarten—became constituent countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

My guess is that the islanders will celebrate Antilles Day just as before—it's always nice to have an excuse for a vacation day, right?—but I couldn't seem to spot any information about planned school closures, say, or festivities.

Enjoy...

...some photos of the Antilles. 

--be sure to click each photo on this page—it leads to a gallery of other fantastic photos!

--notice the TONS of variety—creatures and sea life, beaches and historic sites—great stuff!

...a virtual tour, from the website Green Antilles. 

...jigsaw puzzles of the Antilles.