A lot of hoopla happens on the lakeshore this time of year. And not just any hoopla. Come to find out, Holland, Michigan's tulip festival is world-renowned. People trek in from all over the world to witness the beauty of the brief bloom. How many people? According to Gwen Auwera, Executive Director of Tulip Time, about 600,000 out-of-towners descend upon Holland over the 10-day event. And they come here just to see some flowers? They sure do. But not just any flowers. They come for the treasured tulips. Nearly six million bulbs have been planted throughout the city, a brilliance of color artistically ribboned through the streets and parks.
And the tulips are just the beginning of it.
Tulip Time Festival has something for just about everyone, whether you’re a flower-loving, wooden-shoe-wearing, descendant of the Dutch or not.
Looking for something to do with the kids? They’ve got you covered.
• For most of the mornings during the festival, there’s an event called “De Familiedans.” Dutch dancers will tell your kids a story and teach them to dance.
• Thursday, May 8, will be the “Gentex Kinderparade.” Local children will be dressed in traditional Dutch costumes. Adorable.
• Every evening there will be a “Dutch Dance Kinder/Middle” and “Dutch Dance High School/Alumni.” Dutch dancers from third grade to adult will perform in the downtown streets.
• Also every evening is the Carnival, featuring rides and games for both kids and adults.
Looking for music? They’ve got you covered in a BIG way.
• This year’s festival has brought in the one and only, Country superstar Rodney Atkins for Friday, May 9.
• Also not to be missed are performances by Second Hand News, Great Scott, Fiddlefire, Forever Motown, and Holland American Legion Band Concert and a Dutch Music Organ Concert by Hope College Music Director Rhonda Sider Edgington.
Looking for history? Covered.
• Sign up for an early morning historical walking tour led by a costumed guide.
• Watch the movie, “From Wilderness to World Class,” which tells the history of Holland, Michigan.
Looking for some laughs? Covered.
• Holland Community Theater presents, “Every Crook and Nanny.”
Looking to pop the question? Covered.
• According to Auwerda, proposal spots among the tulips are everywhere—The Immersion Gardens, city parks… anywhere you can find a quiet corner in the tulips.
• As far as she’s aware, Auwerda said about one to three proposals happen in the tulips every year.
All those tulips making you feel artsy, maybe a little craftsy? Covered.
• Events to attend: Quilt Show and Art in Bloem Fine Art Exhibit.
• Classes (many already are filled but are included so you sign up early next year): Floral Arranging, Fused Glass, Cutting Board Workshop and Wine and Cheese Tasting.
Looking for the absolute best place to take your tulip photos?
• Tulip Immersion Gardens—the designer, Ibo Gulsen, is from the Netherlands. He's designed the gardens so that you don't have to get on the ground to take pictures with the tulips. Instead you walk through an immersive experience. You will hear the history of tulips as well.
• Windmill Island Gardens, Veldheer Tulip Farms, and more.
• The parks, the streets, everywhere you go!
Once you learn the history, see the parades, take in some art, and tiptoe through the tulips, you will be itching to learn the Dutch Dance. You guessed it, Covered.
• Dutch Dance lessons will be provided multiple times throughout the festival. That means if you don’t catch on the first time, you will have many opportunities to improve.
• If you’d prefer to have a Dutch lunch while watching the dancing, with no expectation for you to join in, you might enjoy “Dutch Lunch and Dance Performance” at Evergreen Commons.
When and where all the tulip-inspired events are happening, along with ticket information, can be found perfectly organized on the Tulip Time website: tuliptime.com/events.
But 600,000 people on top of the regular population of Holland? Wherever will you park? Not to worry. There are several options.
• For those who want to stick to the outskirts of Holland and not entangle themselves with the energy of the downtown, you can take leisurely drives to the Immersion Gardens, Dekker Huis Museum, Graafschap Heritage Center, Historic Van Raalte Farm Park, Holland Garden Club 2025 Tulip Time Flower Show, Nelis’ Dutch Village, Veldheer’s Tulip Gardens and Deklomp Wooden Shoe and Delft Factory, and more.
• For those who want the downtown vibe, street parking as well as parking ramps are sprinkled throughout the city. Plan ahead and use this handy dandy map.
• Some of you may want to skip the car all together and do your crowd-manuevering with your bicycle. At some point, you may need to ditch your bike. Enter the bike valet.
• Maybe a combo is right for you. Park outside of downtown and let your feet carry you in. Probably wooden shoes wouldn’t be your best shoe choice if you plan to cover long distances. Save those for dancing!
With such a plethora of possibilities, you may wonder if you could just have someone choose where you should go and what you should see and then magically weave you through the traffic so you can sit back and enjoy the experience.
To that Auwerda says, “You can!” That’s doing the festival VIP style.
As a VIP, imagine being completely taken care of from 8 am to 4 pm. Starting at the Tulip Immersion Gardens, your driver and costumed guide will take you on a tour of Windmill Island Gardens, Holland’s lighthouse “Big Red,” and local landmarks including Hope College, all while listening to the history of the area. You will dine on a lovely lunch at Bowerman’s Farm Market and will complete your day with a private tour of the Immersion Gardens hosted by the Gardens’ designer, world renowned Dutch horticulturist Ibo Gulsen.
Once you've gone to the festival, is it worth going again?
Though Auwerda has worked for the Tulip Time Office a mere 14 years, she has attended at least 40 Tulip Time Festivals. And yes, she still gets excited about going. She said the festival has evolved a lot through the years—more tulips are planted and the programming continues to change. This is the first time the festival is offering experiential art classes and many have sold out already. They will figure out how to offer more next year.
As such a veteran festival attendee, Auwerda said, “My favorite thing is to talk to the people that are here. I walk the streets, I go to the venues, I walk through the Immersion Gardens. You always can catch a conversation with people and say, ‘How’d you hear about Tulip Time?’ or ‘Where are you from?’ And it’s just fascinating to talk to people who either it’s a bucket list event or a sisters’ weekend or they’re calling me asking where to propose…’
It's pretty fair to say there’s something at the Tulip Time Festival for just about everyone. And with all your hesitations about parking put to rest, I’ll plan to see you there.
Krista Yetzke is a native of Ottawa County. A jeep-driving, guitar-playing wife, mom, and everyday adventurer, Krista was raised on the love of Jesus, the great outdoors, the arts, the value of frugality, and the beauty of food as medicine.
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