Every year in May, the city of Holland, Michigan blooms with millions of tulips. Tourists fly from all over the world to visit the cultural Tulip Time festival. Holland, Michigan has an abundance of people with Dutch heritage, and this is celebrated throughout the festival each year. To read more on the history of Tulip Time in Holland, check out the Tulip Time website.

I was born and raised in Holland, Michigan and took part in the festival throughout my school years. Still, I purpose to enjoy the festival each year. I do not hide when all the tourists come. Instead, I act like a tourist and visit all the attractions. In this blog post, I will outline some of the most popular activities to do and places to go during Tulip Time.

What To Do

Watch the Dutch Dancers

Gather around as numerous locals bunch up and show off their Dutch Dance performances. I was a Dutch Dancer in high school which meant that starting in January, I went to dance practices once a week until Tulip Time. Dutch Dancers dance several times during the week of Tulip Time, and the dance performance lasts about 15 minutes long. You can find the specific dance schedule on the Tulip Time website, but you can see the dancers most evenings and then during the day on parade days. The dancers wear Dutch costumes with the famous wooden shoes. And no, the wooden shoes are not comfortable even with nine pairs of thick socks! The experience is so fun though! Don’t hesitate to get pictures with the groups of dancers before and after the dance!

See the tulip fields

During Tulip Time, there are tulips all over the city. Below, is a list of popular places to go see the tulips:

• Window on the Waterfront Park
• Centennial Park
• Downtown Holland
• Tulip Lanes
• Windmill Island Gardens
• Nelis’ Dutch Village
• Veldheers Tulip Farm

Find the windmill from the Netherlands

To find a working Dutch windmill that is 250 years old, head to Windmill Island. During Tulip Time, you can even tour the inside of the windmill and learn about the history of it and see how it works. In addition to the windmill, there is plenty to see at Windmill Island. Surrounding the windmill, you can take beautiful pictures amongst the tulip lanes. Also, there are hiking trails to enjoy and a cute shop with Dutch-inspired souvenirs. You can find a couple food stands here during Tulip Time as well.

Enjoy the parades

The parades that stroll through downtown Holland are always a highlight of Tulip Time. Grab some carnival food or a refreshing drink from a nearby local restaurant and find a spot to enjoy the bands, dancers, and people from a multitude of local businesses. Check the Tulip Time website for the exact times, but lately, the parades have been in the afternoon on Thursday and Saturday during Tulip Time. Also, just so you know, people put down blankets and chairs to grab their spot for the parades very early. I’m talking like 6:00 AM early…

Visit the food trucks

Who doesn’t love some unhealthy carnival food? You can find some food trucks all around Holland, but the majority of them are on 8th Street, around Centennial Park, and near Kollen Park. They are everywhere!

Go to Dutch Village

Dutch Village is a popular destination for tourists. You can find Dutch Dancers, food stands, a petting farm, a ferris wheel, swings, and some cute shops here. One of the shops is where you can buy wooden shoes. Many of the local Dutch Dancers go here to buy their shoes. Wooden shoes are great for a unique souvenir!

Try local food

A lot of tourists ask where they can find traditional food when visiting. If you are looking for some traditional Dutch pastries, I suggest heading to Deboer’s. They have two locations, one near Kollen Park downtown, and the other location is on the north side on the way to Holland State Park. My family loves their Dutch Banket, which is an almond pastry.

Go to the carnival

A carnival is set up each year around the Civic Center near downtown Holland. If you buy the wristband, you can ride the carnival rides and play the games. It’s not cheap, but the kids will love it!

Watch the fireworks

At the end of the festival each year, fireworks are launched at Kollen Park! The town and the tourists love to gather around after dark for the show.

Conclusion

There are a lot of exciting festivities to keep you entertained during your visit. For a detailed itinerary and extra information about the festival each year, check the Tulip Time website. If you are looking for activities outside of those put on for the festival, the city of Holland has a lot to offer.

Keep an eye out for my blog post on Holland, Michigan. But for now, if you are looking for more travel information and inspiration, check out my destinations tab on my website. Thanks for stopping by! Cheers to finding new festivals and making connections around the world.