Fantastic Food, Beautiful Tulips and More at Tulip Time

Tulip Time celebrates Dutch traditions. The festival occurs annually in Pella, Iowa, on the first Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of May. The 87th Annual Tulip Time starts on Thursday, May 5th and ends on Saturday, May 7th 2022, in Pella, Iowa. Find information about the festival, including the schedule of activities, here.

Let’s back up a year. I attended this amazing festival on Thursday, May 6, 2021. The 86th Annual Tulip Time provided unique opportunities to experience Dutch traditions, while at the same time, it gave me an opportunity to travel once again after staying close to home during the pandemic in 2020.

Several years ago, I attended Tulip Time for the first time. There was something fascinating and alluring about the Dutch culture. Thus, I knew I would return some day.

I began my journey to Pella midmorning on that mostly sunny Thursday in May. For this trip, I brought food with me for lunch so I stopped at a rest area on I-80 to eat lunch. Once I arrived in Pella, I found a parking spot on a side street about five blocks from the town square.

Pella, Iowa

Pella is a town in south-central Iowa, about 40 miles southeast of Des Moines. Immigrants from the Netherlands founded Pella in 1847. They sought religious freedom so they left the Netherlands. The descendants of the original settlers wanted to preserve their Dutch heritage and culture. For this reason, Dutch culture and heritage can be found in many foods, museums, and in the architecture in Pella.

Wyatt Earp

Wyatt Earp, a famous outlaw, grew up in Pella. The Earp family moved to Pella in 1849 when Wyatt was two years old. They owned a farm northeast of Pella but most of the time, the family lived in the town of Pella. In 1864, the Earp family moved to California. Read more about Wyatt Earp and the Earp family here.

Arrival in Pella

I arrived in Pella early that Thursday afternoon and proceeded to walk the five blocks to the main square in downtown. First, I stopped at the Dutch Sale. Dutch Sale consists of vendor booths selling a variety of products.

After checking out the vendor sale, I walked on Franklin Street towards the square and stopped at the antique tractor displays. I identified several tractors that we used on the farm when I grew up. At last, I arrived at the main square.

Jaarsma Bakery

First, I spotted Jaarsma Bakery. I have many delicious memories of this place! The first time I visited Pella, a friend recommended I purchase Dutch Letters from this bakery. Of course, I had to try one. The delectable flavor of the almond filling had me hooked. To this day, I stop at Jaarsma Bakery to purchase Dutch Letters every time I visit Pella.

I decided to pick up my Dutch Letters right away rather than wait till later. A long line formed on the edge of the sidewalk. However, an employee of the bakery informed me that if I wanted either 6 or 12 Dutch Letters and nothing else, I could go to the alley behind the store to purchase them in a prepackaged box rather than wait in line to enter the bakery. This delighted me since I had a short amount of time to check out the festivities. I went around the block to the alley and found the table where the boxes were sold. I made my purchase quickly and continued to stroll around the square.

Molengracht Plaza

Next, I found a program at an information booth and noticed that a group of dancers would be performing at the Molengracht Plaza. The plaza was close to the alley where I bought the Dutch letters, so I proceeded to walk to the plaza. The young dancers performed traditional Dutch dances and were from local schools.

Afterwards, I walked through the plaza. Molengracht Plaza is a replica of a genuine Dutch canal surrounded by buildings with Dutch-inspired architecture. Flower beds appear throughout the plaza, which opened in 2001. As I walked through the plaza and along the canal, I admired the clear, blue water. That, along with the colorful tulips, made this a peaceful walk. Molengracht Plaza is a block long with an area of over 100,000 square feet.

Klokkenspel

As I exited Molengracht Plaza, I saw the backside of the Klokkenspel ahead of me. The Klokkenspel is located on Franklin Street, about a half block east of the square.

Continuing on my journey, I decided to walk on Franklin Street while I waited for the 5:00 PM performance of the Klokkenspel. I had about fifteen minutes before I needed to be back. When I returned, I sat on a bench in Mollengracht Plaza to watch the Klokkenspel’s presentation.

During Tulip Time, the Klokkenspel performs every half hour but only five times a day other times of the year. The Klokkenspel tells a story through it’s animated characters that are set to start when a clock strikes specific times. In Pella, there are two presentations each time, one on the Franklin Street side and one on the plaza side. The street side shows the story of Pella’s early history and the plaza side shows figures from Tulip Time.

Animated figures include street scrubbers, which is a Dutch tradition done before the Tulip Time Parade, as well as a mother and daughter welcoming visitors by handing out tulips. In addition, historical figures include Wyatt Earp polishing his rifle, Dominie Hendrik Pieter Scholte, leader of the Hollanders who immigrated to Pella in 1847, and his wife Marie Scholte. Additionally, two other animated figures are a blacksmith working at his workbench and a wooden shoe maker.

Walking Parade

Once the Klokkenspel finished the presentation, I continued my walk on Franklin Street. Previously, I saw the floats while waiting for the Klokkenspel’s performance at 5:00. This time, I went back to get a closer look at them.

Usually, a parade is held each year during Tulip Time. However, this year the parade didn’t happen due to COVID concerns. Instead, festival planners placed ten floats on the streets for visitors to see and photograph. The floats represented scenes from Pella’s rich culture.

Additionally, Tulip Time attendees had the opportunity to step on some of the floats for photos. From what I noticed, children liked to climb on top of the floats. Truly, I enjoyed viewing the floats!

Central Park

After I viewed the floats, I entered Central Park to see the tulip beds. Tulips bloomed in their peak earlier in the week. However, a lot of color remained in the tulip gardens. Tulips brightened the scenery of Central Park! Besides seeing tulips in Central Park, I also found the sundial and a Dutch windmill that contained an information booth for visitors.

Tulip Toren

Also, Tulip Toren stands on the south side of Central Park. Built in 1968, Pella’s Tulip Toren is 65 feet tall with two pillars. The top of Tulip Toren contains a flag with the colors of the flag of the Netherlands. A stage is next to it. Entertainers perform on the stage during Tulip Time and on Thursday nights during the summer.

Vermeer Windmill and Pella’s Historical Village

Vermeer Windmill

Nearby, I spotted Vermeer Windmill. Located on the corner of Franklin and East First Streets, Vermeer Windmill towers above all structures in downtown Pella. In fact, Vermeer Windmill is a working grain windmill with a height of 124 feet, 6 inches. The base is 32 feet in diameter and 42 feet high. Additionally, a pair of giant yellow wooden Dutch shoes sits in front of the windmill entrance.

Visitors can tour the Vermeer Windmill. The tour costs $20 and includes both the Vermeer Windmill and Pella’s Historical Village. The tour of the 1850’s style grain mill starts at the base where grain would have come into the mill. It ends on the fifth floor where grain would have been milled. Also, you will see the spectacular view of Pella while at the top!

Pella’s Historical Village

Adjacent to the Vermeer Windmill, the Historical Village includes 22 historical buildings that recount Pella’s history beginning in the 1840’s. Historical buildings include Sterrenberg Library, Sadler Cottage, Scholte Church, a Farm House, the Village Barn, a 1850’s Dutch bakery, Beason-Blommers Grist Mill, a blacksmith shop, a woodworker’s shop, a log cabin, a meat & cheese shop, and Werkplaats – Klompen Maker, which is where wooden shoes are made, to name a few. The Historical Village is located on Franklin Street, next to Vermeer Windmill.

According to the Pella Historical Society & Museums 86th Annual Tulip Time Town Crier, admission to the Historical Village is $20, which includes a tour of the Vermeer Windmill. The Town Crier is the magazine that is handed out to visitors and contains information about the festival, including a schedule of events. I went on the tour on a previous Tulip Time visit so I didn’t tour the Historical Village this time.

Dutch Food

Next, I struck up a conversation with a friendly local lady. She told me about some attractions that would be interesting to see in Pella. When I asked about Dutch food, she suggested several places where genuine Dutch food was sold around the square. I chose three foods to try in addition to the Dutch Letters I purchased earlier: Pella bologna sandwich, stroopwafel, and poffertjes.

Pella Bologna Sandwich

First, I tried a Pella bologna sandwich. Pella Bologna is made in Pella at Ulrich’s Meat Market. The recipe originated in the Netherlands and was brought to Pella by John Ulrich over 150 years ago. The Pella Bologna Sandwich resembled a burger. It was made of a Pella Bologna patty served on a bun, and it did not taste spicy. I enjoyed this sandwich and recommend you try it when you visit Pella.

Stroopwafel

Later, I found a food stand that sold stroopwafels, a tasty sweet cookie that originated in the Netherlands. A stroopwafel is made of two small, thin cookies that look like waffles with a caramel filling between the two cookies. I purchased mine at an outdoor food stand that made them in their booth. What a tasty treat!

Poffertjes

Finally, the last outside food booth I visited before leaving Pella sold poffertjes. This booth featured the Central College A Capella singers, who sang a song every time a customer dropped a tip inside a tip jar. Proceeds from poffertjes sales benefited the choir.

A poffertje is a Dutch mini pancake served in several ways. Three options available are with strawberries and whipped cream, with powdered sugar on top and lastly, with cinnamon sugar on top. I chose strawberries and whipped cream on top of mine. The poffertje hit the spot! It was delicious!

Dutch Letters

Earlier, I discussed Dutch letters. Dutch letters are a delicate pastry in the shape of an “S” with an almond filling. These delicious pastries are one of my favorite treats when I visit Pella.

Other Points of Interest

City Tour

During Tulip Time, ride on a tractor-drawn covered wagon for a tour of Pella. This one-hour tour costs $8.00. According to the Tulip Time Town Crier Edition 2021, the magazine handed out during the festival, more than thirty volunteers drive a total of ten tour wagons during Tulip Time.

In this tour, the tourist sees attractions outside the downtown area, including Central College campus, the Historical Village, Sunken Gardens Park, to name a few. A tour guide, dressed in a costume, narrates throughout the ride. The tour guide shares the facts and history of Pella’s places of interest as the ride passes by. Although I didn’t partake in this tour during my visit to Tulip Time in 2021, I rode the tour wagon during a previous Tulip Time I attended.

Scholte House Museum

Another fascinating tourist stop, Scholte House Museum, is located on Washington Street. Scholte House is the original home of the founder of Pella, Dominie H.P. Scholte. He built this house to keep a promise he made to his wife, Maria, that he would build her a house similar to the elegant Dutch house they lived in while residing in the Netherlands. Recently having undergone a renovation, Scholte house displays the personal belongings of the Scholte family. The 30 minute tour costs $12 for adults. Furthermore, tulip gardens surround the museum and are free for visitors to stroll through.

Conclusion

To sum it up, my visit to Tulip Time in May 2021 provided a much needed sense of normalcy since we stayed home the previous summer due to the pandemic. I found a sense of peace while viewing the tulips as well as the many attractions Pella has to offer. I will attend Tulip Time in the future, and I look forward to bright, colorful tulips and seeing more of the Dutch culture and traditions.

Tulip Time 2022 will be held on May 5, 6, and 7, 2022. Find more information, including a schedule of activities, here.

Fantastic Food, Beautiful Tulips, and More at Tulip Time