HOLLAND, Mich —
Tulip Time 2020 was set to start on Saturday, May 2, but the official festival was canceled due to the coronavirus.
Even without the festival, there are still tulips in bloom within the city of Holland. Because of that the city is asking that people refrain from visiting Holland to see the tulips this year.
The city says it does not have the infrastructure in place to handle crowds, like adequate restrooms and portable toilets for public use.
"The tulips will bloom again next year," a news release said. Holland asks anyone who may have had a trip planned to postpone it until 2021.
This was the first year in Tulip Time's 91 year history that the event was canceled. Event organizers said even after the United States entered World II in 1941, Tulip Time officials conferred with federal officials and continued the festival.
"Our first responsibility is to keep our residents safe and asking visitors to stay home this year is the right but very difficult thing to do," said Mayor Nathan Bocks. "We look forward to welcoming visitors back to Holland soon and certainly to enjoy the tulips in 2021.”
Tulip Time has an estimated $48 million economic impact on the city. The festival is also a non-profit organization, and in order to help with their losses, Tulip Time is selling t-shirts and has a GoFundMe fundraiser.
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