From May 4-11, more than 500,000 people from around the world will travel to Holland, Michigan to experience the 2013 Tulip Time Festival. The festival features Dutch dance performances, concerts, theatre, food, parades and more – all of which take a lot of time and dedication to produce by a team of more than 800 people.
Gwen Auwerda, Executive Director of the festival, gives us a sneak peek at what goes into the making of Tulip Time.
In Holland, Michigan, it rained for 13 days in a row this month and the tulips are loving it! The town is being spruced up from a long winter and the Tulip Time Festival staff and interns are busy with the finishing touches on all the great events, entertainment and parades.
Here are just some of the many things that happen behind-the-scenes in Holland as we prepare for the festival.
Prepping Pigs-in-a-Blanket
500 dozen pigs-in-a-blanket – a traditional Dutch food – were made by a group of volunteers from First United Methodist Church. “Pigs” as we call them are a sausage roll covered with pastry dough and served to thousands of visitors at Dutch Marketplaats lunch in our Civic Center. This is quite a time honored tradition for the church.
Marching Band Practice
Thirty bands are practicing their marching skills and will be marching in the Saturday GMB Muziekparade, the longest parade in Michigan at 2.4 miles. The Columbia Central High School Golden Eagle Marching Band from Brooklyn, Michigan is anticipating its 69th year marching in the Tulip Time Festival GMB Muziekparade! Starting in 1941, this band has traveled nearly 300 miles round trip each year to participate in the Tulip Time Festival parades. Some of the group’s favorite memories of the Festival include the inconsistent weather conditions our lovely Lake Michigan provides each year, the thrill of the crowds’ response to the band’s performances and the seemingly timeless experience the festival provides.
This year, May 11th is the day of the GMB Muziekparade, but also another important day in the lives of CCHS students: it’s Prom night! This important celebration of high school is not deterring the band from making its appearance at Tulip Time. Director Joe Folts lends this dedication to tradition and loyalty. He says that “Kids wouldn’t think of not going to the festival – it’s not a question, it’s a treasured tradition.”
Some band members are second generation marchers making participating even more important and special for the Golden Eagles.
Dutch Dance Rehearsals
Dutch Dancing is another signature event during the festival. The dancers typically learn the dance in high school and can continue dancing as an “alumni dancer” after graduation. This year, we have over 900 dancers who wear clothing representing the late 1800s and early 1900s. Practices begin in January and the dancers spend 30 hours over the next 4 months learning the dance. This event is a visitor favorite and free!
We couldn’t put together an internationally known flower festival without our beloved volunteers. It takes over 800 volunteers over an 8 day period to help with trash pickup, ushering at the shows, set-up, deliver potted tulips to the venues around the city, assist with the Tulip Time run, Queen’s Day Bike Criterium and the three parades. It is because of the dedication of these volunteers that our city can invite over 500,000 guests to Join the Dance! We hope to see you in beautiful Holland for the 84th Tulip Time Festival.
Gwen Auwerda is the Executive Director of the Tulip Time Festival in Holland.
Are you heading to Tulip Time this year? Share with us below!
