adminIf you picture Holland in your imagination, images of hand-crafted wooden shoes, whirling windmills, and tulip fields blossoming with vibrant color will show up in your mind, right? The tulip, a sign of prosperity in the Netherlands, was imported by the residents of Orange City as a cherished token of their country. As different histories and memories of the Netherlands grew fainter, an effort was made not only to celebrate their ancestry but to keep it alive from generation to generation.
The festival started as a Tulip Show in 1933, where tulips were individually decided in their beds before they were cut. The tulip in Orange City stays an essential part of the festival and a highlight for tourists and visitors every year. Residents of Orange City plant an assortment of early, mid, and late-blooming tulips in Orange City to do their best to have tulips in bloom during the Tulip festival. Most tulips typically blossom in mid-May, however, climate plays a significant role in the timing of the blooming tulips.
If you visit Orange City then view tulips through the city centrum along Central and Albany Avenues. A lot of colors and varieties of tulips can be found in different groups of tulip beds around Orange City.
If you are really curious about this festival then you can simply take part in it every third weekend in May since the township of Orange City puts on an annual Tulip festival. You can go there and find something new every time. From watching the traditional Dutch street dancers to the art corner to the many pastry shops, this has always been an outdoor event many tourists and visitors look forward to each spring. And surprisingly though the current year was canceled because of COVID-19, you can actually drive the 45 minutes up to Orange City to see the tulips.
You can find many pictures on the internet that are the accumulation of many years’ worth of photographs. You can visit Orange City with your loved ones and look forward to seeing this festival. If you really want to know something about this festival, here is some basic information about Orange City Tulip festival.
First, let`s know about Orange City, In 1870 Orange city was founded by Dutch settlers, it has an estimated population of 7,000 residents, and is the county seat of Sioux County. As a visitor, you can find many new things in this town, and one of the popular things about Orange City is the Dutch storefront architecture. Home to Diamond Vogel paints and Northwestern college, the Dutch storefront architecture has been maintained since its establishment hundred and fifty years ago. This one-of-a-kind cultural design can be seen all over town, not simply on Central Avenue.
You will appreciate more of Orange City’s architecture but for the time being let`s know about Tulips. In the center of town, directly close to Windmill Park, surrounded by flags of Dutch communities, are several beds of tulips, in a variety of colors. From beautiful dazzling white to rich dark purple, these tulips always bring tourists from all around to enjoy their beauty. You will surely love the variety, and you are not the only one walking around snapping photos of each angel. But, tulip beds are not simply planted here in the city center, you’ll see them outside the courthouse, the Veteran’s Memorial Park, the Visitor’s Center, and surprisingly in front of hundreds of homes and businesses.
The town really comes alive in color and Dutch pride during this time of year. Indeed, the first Tulip Festival celebrated here in Orange City was in 1933, and after the end of WWII in 1946, city organizers had 50,000 bulbs imported directly from Holland. Every year is unique, including the absence of the current year’s festival, however, that didn’t demotivate people from showing their community support, and their Dutch pride.
Festival organizers arranged together a downsized parade for the senior residents to keep their spirits high during this stressful time. Past festivals include not only a parade of marching bands and local business, but also street scrubbing, cultural dutch street dancing involving kids from 5 years of age to 15- years, and families dressing in their traditional costumes handed down from generation to generation.
Since you have known about the basics of the Orange City Tulip Festival, let`s know about some events you might experience upon your visit. The first event you should know about is Stadscentrum. Here, you’ll witness wooden shoes being made on historically accurate equipment, and even hear music being played on a unique 107-year-old Dutch street organ. Including 67 keys, 288 lines, drums, and registers, this piece of musical equipment is one of few still in working condition around the world.
After enjoying the Stadscentrum, make your way to Windmill Park, and board 90 minutes long horse-drawn trolley tour. You’ll find out about the history of Orange City, its origins, and landmark sites while riding in a traditional Hindeloopen-style trolley. When you arrive back at Windmill Park, you’ll need to walk around after sitting for longer than an hour on your trolley tour, and another perfect place is Century Home.
Located only one square north on Albany Ave, is the historic home built by the town’s first mayor. Preserving its 1900 style, this home portrays what life resembled during the turn of the century. Furthermore, every year, the house is open during the Tulip Festival for self-guided tours. Along the way, however, there are guides to answer your questions concerning the home’s particular antiques. If you feel hungry then you can visit the Little White Store for one of the most well-known Dutch treats you’ll have during your visit to the Tulip Festival, Poffertjes!
In simple words, the Orange City Tulip festival will be worth your time and you can even create amazing memories with your family or friends.
