11-05-2025
Volksparade wraps up Tulip Time with a new route
HOLLAND, Mich. (WOOD) — On a picture-perfect day in downtown Holland, tradition danced through the streets, just as it has for generations. Holland's Tulip Time is wrapping up its final weekend with the volksparade. While the clogs and costumes were familiar, the route was a little bit different. It was shorter.
Organizers shortened the parade route by nearly a mile, citing safety as a top priority. The decision comes amid national concerns about vehicle attacks on crowds. For additional security measures, Holland officials added concrete barriers around pedestrian areas.
Still, the heart of the tradition remained intact. Jessica Reeves, a senior at Holland High School, has been a Dutch dancer for the past four years, a tradition she shares with her mother. But this year, for the first time, she spent the parade on the sidelines, seeing it from a new perspective.
'To be able to be a part of it and to be able to watch it and witness it in real life is something most people don't get to see,' Reeves said. 'Tulip Time has been the thing that helps me. It makes me who I am.'
For Reeves, the change in the route was bittersweet. Although it gave the Dutch dancers feet some relief, it changed a long standing tradition.
'It's sad because a lot of people grew up with that tradition of the parade going all the way down to Holland High School,' she said. 'It can hurt a lot of people, especially me. In my four years of dancing, I was always so used to the parade going all the way out and then my final year, it shortened.'
Reeves noted the crowds felt larger than she has ever seen this year, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic.
'This crowd is a lot bigger than anything I've seen before,' Reeves said. 'To see Tulip Time grow back to what it used to be when my mom was a dancer, It has not only made me feel good, but it has made my mom feel good.'
Although the amount of attendees is unclear, police said attendance appeared typical for a parade weekend but that the shorter route created more density along the streets.
'As long as they just keep having it, I'll be okay with that,' said Karen Iehl, a lifelong Tulip Time attendee, who estimates she's attended more than 50 Tulip Time parades. 'I love to see all the people come out and celebrate heritage here in Holland, Michigan.'
Despite the adjustment, the weekend remained a vibrant display of music, culture and community, with thousands lining the streets to cheer for dancers, bands, floats and, of course, tulips.
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