HOLLAND, Mich. — Downtown Holland’s Fall Fest is back after getting canceled last year because of the pandemic.
During this two-day event on Oct. 8-9, guests will be able to celebrate everything there is to love about fall with professional pumpkin carving, children’s activities, family hayrides, community tulip planting, an artisan market at Windmill Island Gardens, fall walking tours and more.
Community Tulip Planting on Friday, Oct. 8 kicks off Fall Fest. It’ll be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will be hosted by Tulip Time.
Visitors and community members can sign up for a time slot to help plant 75,000 of Holland’s famous tulip bulbs at Window On The Waterfront. All volunteers will receive complementary doughnuts from Bowerman’s Blueberry Market and coffee from Biggby Coffee of Holland.
Gardening gloves are recommended, but all other tools and instructions will be provided onsite.
Fall Fest will then continue with eight of the nation’s best pumpkin carvers, including Food Network alumni, appearing from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The carvers will spend the afternoon carving jack-o-lanterns along 8th Street in downtown Holland.
At 7 p.m., the jack-o-lanterns will be lit and will remain on display until 10 p.m. that night for visitors to explore.
On Saturday, Oct. 9, the professional carvers will appear again, this time at the Holland Farmers Market from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., to carve 3D sculptures onsite.
Children can also paint their own pumpkins to bring home for $1 per pumpkin, along with painting supplies provided by Fris Supply Shop.
Market vendors Visser Farmers will also be offering hayrides from the Holland Farmers Market to downtown Holland and back again from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $3 per person.
The Holland Farmers Market will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Visitors will find seasonal décor items, including pumpkins, gourds, mums and corn shocks, along with apples of every variety, squash, brussels sprouts, potatoes, carrots and other root vegetables.
Along with the Community Tulip Planting – which will continue Saturday morning – Tulip Time will also be offering guided fall walking tours throughout downtown Holland.
Each tour is about an hour and a half long, with highlights including Hope College, Dimnent Chapel, Pillar Church, Centennial Park and unique architecture sites. Tickets are $25 per person and must be purchased in advance.
A new Artisan Market will also be at Windmill Island Gardens from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 9, with more than 50 local artisans and crafters selling their works as part of the juried show.
Visitors can shop for hand-crafted jewelry, home décor, artwork, clothing, specialty foods and more.
Entry to the market will be $5 per person, which includes access to the gardens at Windmill Island, the DeZwaan Windmill, the historic Dutch carousel, the miniature Dutch village and more.
Professional pumpkin carvers will be back in downtown Holland on Saturday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., with their work displayed until 10 p.m.
Find more information about Fall Fest here.
