HOLLAND, Michigan — Holland's Tulip Time Festival is only weeks away and on Wednesday the Grand Marshals for the Gentex Kinderparade and the Quality Car Wash Volksparade have been announced.
Each parade will feature two groups as Grand Marshals for the 2022 festival.
Gentex Kinderparade
The Gentex Kinderparade, or Children's Parade, is on Thursday, May 12 and features elementary school children with their teachers and school administrators in full costumes. The parade heads through Downtown Holland as each school and grade shows off their own unique theme that celebrates the towns' Dutch Heritage.
Grand Marshals: Holland Rotary
The first group honored as Grand Marshals of the Gentex Kinderparade are the Holland Rotary. The club has invested more than 100 years of service to local schools and the community. The Holland Rotary has helped bring in international exchange students to local schools and send local students abroad for over 40 years.
During Tulip Time the Holland Rotary can be found as Grandstand Greeters with the After-Hours Rotary Club and Zeeland Rotary Club greeting guests during the parades.
Grand Marshals: Alumni Dutch Dance Directors, Anne Mulder and Elizabeth TerHaar
Also Grand Marshalling the Gentex Kinderparade are the Alumni Dutch Dance Directors, Anne Mulder and Elizabeth TerHaar. In 1969, the Tulip Time Festival asked residents if anyone would be interested in bringing dancing back, prompting more than 50 dancers to respond. The following year, in 1970, the dancers officially formed the Alumni Dutch Dance program under the direction of Anne Mulder. The following year, 1971, Elizabeth TerHaar led the program on a volunteer basis.
Quality Car Wash Volksparade
The Quality Car Wash Volksparade, or People's Parade, is on Saturday, May 14 and combines elements of the Street Scrubbing parade and the Muziek parade. The parade features community members and people from all over dressed in Dutch costumes, cleaning the parade route for city officials to inspect. Once the route is approved, the parade will start and dozens of bands from West Michigan middle and high schools will play as community floats travel through downtown Holland.
Co-Grand Marshal: NCAA National Champions, the Hope College Women’s Basketball Team
Holland's very own Hope College Women's Basketball Team will be honored as Co-Grand Marshal of the Quality Car Wash Volksparade after winning their third NCAA Division III national title earlier this year. Hope College
Co-Grand Marshal: The Holland American Legion Band celebrating 100 years
The Holland American Legion Band will also be honored as Co-Grand Marshal of the Quality Car Wash Volksparade this year. The group was established in 1920 and has performed throughout the United States and Europe.
The Holland American Legion Band will also be performing their annual Tulip Time concert on Tuesday, May 10. To purchase tickets, visit TulipTime.com/Events.
Tulip Time Parade viewing options
Grandstand seating - Seating is available along the parade route in the grandstands for both parades. Seating costs $18 per seat and can be purchased at TulipTime.com/Events.
Curbside seating - Curbside seating along the parade route is available for free. If bringing chairs or blankets, they must be placed between the street and sidewalk only and they must be set up after 6 a.m. and taken down no later than one hour after each parade.
The 2022 Tulip Time Festival Guide is currently available by request, at local shops and stores and at the Tulip Time office. To purchase tickets, request a brochure, or to obtain detailed program and event information, visit TulipTime.com.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
