2023 Holland Tulip Time Festival Ultimate Guide – When to See Tulips in Holland MI

2023 Holland Tulip Time Festival
May 6 – May 14, 2023
Downtown Holland MI

Complete 2023 Holland Tulip Festival Guide

If you want to see endless fields of colorful tulips in bloom head to Michigan’s Holland Tulip Festival this spring! This celebration of the area’s Dutch roots is the highlight of spring in west Michigan, and has been named one of the best flower festivals in the country!  

It’s one of the top annual events in Michigan and one you won’t want to miss, especially in 2023.  The tulips in Holland Michigan promise to be prettier than ever, thanks to a wet early spring! 

The popular festival attracts visitors from all over the world, who flock to this charming town to see more than five million tulips blooming in a sea of color.

PRO-TIP: Sure, you”ll be able to see tulips in downtown Holland, but you’ll also want to head to other spots throughout the area too see tulips.  We’ve also  included an interactive map of Tulip Time activities and a link to the tulip tracker to see them bloom in realtime!

Celebrate Dutch Heritage at the Holland Tulip Festival

Holland’s rich Dutch heritage is in full bloom at this flower festival, too.  You’ll be able to see an authentic Dutch windmill, catch a Dutch dance or two, and maybe even try on a wooden shoe! There are even opportunities to buy some of Holland’s  famous tulips,  in case you want to bring a  beautiful tulip or two home with you.

There is a lot to see and do during the Tulip Time Festival. The activities and events are held within a four-mile radius of downtown Holland, so you’ll want to plan your visit carefully to maximize your own tulip time!

From parades, events, carnival rides, dancing and music, there are tons of fun things to do for kids of all ages here.  

We’ve prepared a locals guide to the best things to see and do at Holland’s Tulip Fesitval.  Use this Michigan Travel Guide to find festival events and find tips for visiting Tulip Time, including where to see the most tulips and more must-visit spots around Holland, MI.

About  the 2023 Holland Tulip Festival

Holland’s Tulip Time Festival is one of the top tulip festivals in the world, with more than five million tulip bulbs in bloom throughout the city. Throughout the festival, you’ll find daily flower events, like photo walks and a walk through a tulip immersion garden.

In addition to special daily events, there are things to do all week long to experience the Holland Michigan Tulip Festival. You can visit a tulip garden in a public park to see the rows of tulips in bloom throughout the city, do a drive-through tulip tour along Tulip Lane and so much more.

Read on to start planning your trip to one of pure Michigan’s top flower festivals. 

Tips for Visiting Tulip Time: Tulip Time Events, Activities and Best Things to See and Do 

Visit the Carnival Midway
Holland Civic Center Parking Lot
May 5 – May 14, 2023

Open May 5- 14, the Tulip Time carnival features rides, attractions and food in the Civic Center parking lot. Purchase a $30 wristband for a ride session and enjoy! 

See the Tulip Time Parades 
Downtown Holland
May 11 & May 13, 2023

There are two tulip time parades, each with a different date, time and parade route. You can purchase grandstand seating for $18 per ticket, or find free streetside or curbside seating.

Kinderparade (Children’s Parade)
Thursday, May 11; 1:30 – 4 p.m.
Parade starts at 8th Street and Columbia Avenue

This favorite parade starts with the time-honored tradition of “Street Scrubbing,” when elementary school stuents and their teachers don their Dutch costumes, grab a bucket and a broom, and scrub the streets clean for the coming performances. Town officials will walk through with their ceremonial white glove inspection to approve the streets for the parade and when the town crier officially announces the official’s approval, the parade will start.

Volksparade (People’s Parade)
Saturday, May 13; 2 – 4 p.m.

 See dozens of bands from West Michigan middle and high schools showcase their talents amid the community floats through downtown Holland. The adorable Dutch Dogs join in the fun too! 

Tulip Time Run 
Saturday, May 6, 8:00 a.m  –  12:00 p.m
Kollen Park

Gather at Kollen Park for the Tulip Time Run and choose from a 5K, 10K or Kids’ Fun Run. If you cannot make it to Holland, Michigan for the Tulip Time Festival, try a Virtual Run,  where you run a 5K or 10K as your schedule permits, on any course of your choosing. It’s a great way to get the whole family involved!

See Dutch Dancers 
Daily Throughout Festival

You’ll have lots of chances to catch a glimpse of authetically-dressed Dutch dancers in wooden shoes as they perform in Centennial Park an in other spots throughout the city. You’ll even have a chance to learn traditional Dutch dances, too. Head to Window on the Waterfront on May 6 from 4 – 4:30 to learn how to Klomp! 

Visit the Artisan Market and Tulip Time Quilt Show 

Where to See the Most Tulips at the Holland’s Tulip Time Festival

Windmill Island Gardens 
1 Lincoln Ave, Holland, MI 49423

Head over to Windmill Island Gardens during the tulip festival, one of my favorite spots to see the tulips.  This 36-acre park features a 250-year-old working Dutch windmill surrounded by a brightly colored tulip field. Climb the five-story windmill and take in more than 200,000 tulips at these manicured gardens. 

This is a fun spot to get into the Dutch spirit, with costumed guides  a hand-painted Dutch carousel, a scenic bridge, a playground and a gift shops stocked with souvenirs and other treats.  

Nelis’ Dutch Village 
12350 James St, Holland, MI 49424

Visit Nelis Dutch Village and see rows of beautiful tulips that celebrate the culture and heritage of the Netherlands. The park features a variety of attractions and activities, including Dutch architecture, gardens, windmills, a wooden shoe factory, a carousel, a petting zoo, and various shops selling Dutch souvenirs and treats. Be sure and grab lunch at the Hungry Dutchman Cafe, where you can try some authentic Dutch food (and American, too). 

PRO-TIP: Spring is my favorite time to visit, when you can see all of the baby animals like fuzzy ducks! 

Riverview Park – Window on the Waterfront Park 
85 East 6th St Holland, MI 49423

Window on the Waterfront Park is a must-visit during the Tulip Time festival in Michigan. where you can see almost 100,000 tulips in bloom. It sits on the edge of Lake Macatawa and offers beautiful views of the water, as well as picnic tables, benches, walking paths, and a playground for children. There’s a beautiful sculpture, too, that is a favorite spot for snapping pix for Instagram! 

Historic Walking Tours

Walking tours will be available throughout the festival week for those with tickets. For 1.5 miles, you will be led by a costumed guide through charming downtown Holland. You will learn all about Holland’s history, points of interest, and other fun facts about the quaint town as you witness the beauty of the colorful tulip blossoms all around you.

Veldheer Tulip Gardens & DeKlomp Wooden Shoe Factory 
12755 Quincy St, Holland, MI 49424

Take a guided tour of Veldheer Tulip Farms, one of the largest tulip farms in the United States. Visitors can take a leisurely walk through the fields and enjoy the vibrant colors and fragrances of the flowers.  The farm also has a gift shop that sells bulbs, seeds, and other gardening supplies, as well as a wooden shoe factory that produces traditional Dutch-style wooden shoes.

Centennial Park 
250 Central Ave, Holland, MI 49423

This pretty, Victorian-era park features more than five acres of manicured gardens, brick pathways and garden beanches to take in scenery. When you visit the tulip festival in Holland, be sure to take a stroll and see the tulips and other spring flowers in bloom. 

Tulip Immersion Garden 
Beechwood Church,  1286 Ottawa Beach Rd, Holland, MI 49424

By a ticket for a two-hour time slot to wander through more than 65,000 tulips. Designed by world-renowned Dutch horticulturist, Ibo Gülsen, you’ll see three amazing tulip displays raised to eye level. 

Holland Tulip Lane Map with Parking for the Tulip Festival

Drive Tulip Lane 

Catch some stunning views of tulips ablaze with color from the comfort of your car as you drive through Tulip Lane, almost 12 miles of tulip-lined streets in the city of Holland. Use the map below to plot your route and dsciover where to park for the Tulip Festival.

Use the Tulip Tracker to Watch as the Holland Tulips Bloom

Where to Eat During the Holland Tulip Festival 

A day spent exploring the town and enjoying Tulip Time festivities will certainly work up an appetite, and Holland’s restaurants are ready for you. Holland has numerous dining choices, which is great, but can also be a bit overwhelming. To help narrow it down, here are some of our favorite Michigan restaurants in Holland.

The Curragh
73 E 8th St, Holland, MI 49423

The Curragh is a traditional Irish pub in the heart of downtown Holland. Here you can enjoy the casual social nature of a pub while grabbing brews with friends or chowing down on some classic Irish or American grub. If you aren’t quite ready for dining in, they conveniently offer family-style takeaway meals that feed four.

Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant
216 Van Raalte Ave, Holland, MI 49423

As far as waterfront dining in Holland goes, no one outdoes Boatwerks. On the beautiful Lake Macatawa, the inspired design of Boatwerks invokes a distinctly naval atmosphere as the building replicates architecture from the historic boat building factories that preceded it. Here you can take in the magnificent view from the elevated dining room seating while you dine on quality American fare.

Our Brewing Company
76 E 8th St, Holland, MI 49423

For the many beer lovers in Michigan, Our Brewing Company is the downtown Holland nano-brewery for you. This local spot was created by a pair of couples whose love for beer pushed them into the brewing business. Since 2012 they have been serving up carefully selected craft beer brewed using local ingredients. The atmosphere of the brewery is fun and exciting with trivia and games galore and live music.

King’s Cove Deli
430 W 17th St #12, Holland, MI 49423

For all the deli favorites, King’s Cove Deli in Holland is the place to go. Whether you want a sub sandwich or a pizza, King’s Cove has you covered. The sandwich selection is vast offering everything from rubens to tuna melts and even grilled cheese. If you’re more in the mood for pizza, you surely won’t be disappointed with the plethora of specialty pizza options.

More Places to See Tulips in Holland in Spring

The Tulip Time Festival isn’t the only place to see tulips in Holland MIchigan. There are beautifully manicured parks all throughout Holland that you can visit in the springtime. be sure to check out our guide to everywhere to see tulips in Holland Michigan.

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About the Author-

Bella DiMascio is a Content Editor for mymichiganbeach.com. She grew up in the Detroit suburb of Westland and later attended Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. She majored in Communication Studies and minored in English: Writing. Creative writing has been a hobby and interest of Bella’s since she was in elementary school. She is thrilled to be using her talents to highlight the Great Lakes State. Outside of writing, Bella enjoys getting outside with her two Australian Shepherds, playing video games, and binging shows on Netflix.