Celebrating since 1929!

Mission Statement: The Holland Tulip Time Festival invites the world to join the dance as we celebrate our Dutch heritage with a festival showcasing our dynamic community and its spectacular tulips.

Welcome to the Tulip Time Festival! Since 1929, the small city of Holland, Michigan has blossomed with literally hundreds of thousands of tulips — and an equal number of tulip-lovers who attend our annual Tulip Time Festival.

In 2011, we celebrated the bicentennial anniversary of the birth of the founder of Holland, Michigan: Reverend Albertus C. Van Raalte, who led his congregation of Dutch Calvinists in founding our city in 1847. To commemorate his birth, a Bilateral Conference took place in Holland, Michigan and the Netherlands in the fall of 2011. For more information, visit www.dutchheritagewestmichigan.com.

Like most celebrations, the Tulip Time Festival started as a relatively small event, which was proposed by Miss Lida Rogers, a high school biology teacher. In 1927, Miss Rogers presented the idea of commemorating Holland’s Dutch heritage, history and culture to the Women’s Literary Club. Her proposal was accepted, and in 1929, the City of Holland planted its first crop of 100,000 tulips. The overwhelming number of visitors to our small town resulted in the community’s decision to repeat the event. As thousands of spectators soared to hundreds of thousands, the celebration lengthened by days, and pageantry, costumes and parades and the popular Dutch Dancers were added to produce a week-long festival that is now over 80 years old. Visitors to the Tulip Time Festival are invited to take some tulips home—in paper form. (It’s a violation of city ordinance to pick live tulips.)

Since 1982, the Tulip Time Festival commemorative poster has been a much sought after reminder of the annual festival. In years past, the Festival Poster Committee has invited fine artists to submit ideas for the poster. For 2012, we are holding an “Art in Bloom Poster Competition.” Artists submitted their work in October 2011, and a jury of art experts will choose the 2012 Tulip Time Festival Poster. Don’t forget to purchase your copy of the 2012 poster, and see the top 19 poster finalists displayed throughout downtown Holland during the Tulip Time Festival. 

Recognitions:

  • Top 20 events in the world by the International Festival and Events Association
  • Top 100 event in North America by the American Bus Association (21 times)
  • Award of Excellence from Premier Tourism Magazine
  • Americaʼs Best Small Town Festival by Readerʼs Digest

Proud Member of:

  • American Bus Association
  • National Tour Association
  • International Festivals & Events Association
  • Michigan Festivals & Events Association
  • West Michigan Tourist Association
  • Circle Michigan