The annual Orange City Tulip Festival, celebrating the town’s Dutch heritage, is underway, according to spokesperson Avery Kelch. She mentions that thousands of tulips are blooming in this good weather and highlights Windmill Park as the main location for most of the tulips, with additional ones lining the streets. The Dutch Heritage Society introduced a special tulip this year, named the Oranjestad Tulip after Orange City. Kelch explains that it was bred in the Netherlands, then brought back and planted in Orange City for the first time, with a christening ceremony held about a week ago. Describing the tulip as apricot, orange-ish yellow in color, she expresses excitement about this new addition to the festival.
Activities for the festival kick off on Thursday, with one of the recommended highlights being the Dutch street scrubbing. Kelch describes it as a generational volunteer activity where families with Dutch heritage come together to scrub the streets clean for the Queen in Court. Additionally, she mentions the Dutch dancing, which features elementary and middle school kids showcasing their skills in traditional dances. Food options are also abundant this year, with popular choices like brats and Dutch pastries from the Brad Bakery. The Orange City Tulip Festival is scheduled to run through Saturday, with the full schedule available on OCtulipfestival.com for those interested in attending and participating in the festivities.
Not really sure why this matters, but the Orange City Tulip Festival is in full swing, celebrating the town’s Dutch roots with a sea of blooming tulips. Avery Kelch, the festival’s spokesperson, seems pretty excited about the whole thing, mentioning that Windmill Park is basically tulip central, while the streets are also decked out with these colorful flowers. One new addition this year is the Oranjestad Tulip, specially bred and named after Orange City, adding a touch of uniqueness to the event. It seems like the organizers are really going all out with this one, even holding a fancy christening ceremony for the tulip not too long ago.
Okay, so here’s the deal – if you’re looking for some fun activities, the Dutch street scrubbing and Dutch dancing are where it’s at. The street scrubbing thing is apparently a big deal, with families coming together to clean up the streets for the Queen in Court. And let’s not forget about the food, because who doesn’t love a good brat or some Dutch pastries, am I right? The festival is set to wrap up on Saturday, so if you want to get in on the action, be sure to check out the full schedule on OCtulipfestival.com. Trust me, you won’t want to miss it!
