Sadly, the tulips have finished their gorgeous blooming for this year, and we are so pleased to have welcomed so many visitors once again.
If you did miss them this year, mark your calendar to plan your to visit Nelis' Dutch Village and the quaint city of Holland, Michigan for Tulip Time. Next year's Tulip Time will be held from May 4 - 12, 2024.
Since 1929, the Tulip Time festival in Holland, Michigan has attracted guests from around the world for fun and flowers. Nelis' Dutch Village and the Nelis family farm before it has been proud to be a part of the festival since the very beginning.
Tulips came to Holland, Michigan with Dutch settlers. In 1927, a biology teacher for Holland High School recommended a day festival at a Woman's Literary Club meeting. The idea caught on and the city sold bulbs for a penny to residents in 1928, resulting in the first Tulip Time event in 1929. The Detroit News of 1933 documents that these early years tulips bulbs were purchased through Nelis Tulip Farm.
Many people come to Nelis' Dutch Village expecting to see tulips year 'round, but tulips are a spring-blooming flower that only blooms for about 3 - 4 weeks, and then are replaced by annuals.
Historically, tulips originated in the Ottoman Empire (today's Turkey) and made it to the Netherlands in the 16th century via Dutch traders.
The blooms became so popular that bulb theft and garden raids were a common occurrence. In the mid-1600s, there was an economic bubble known as "Tulip Mania" which rivaled the tech market crash or real estate crash of recent history.
We plant over 30,000 bulbs for Tulip Time each year in over 100 varieties of tulips. Tulips are planted in beds throughout the park.
While you can see a few beautiful tulips from outside the park, for a truly incredible experience you'll want to step back in time and into the park.
During Tulip Time, Nelis' Dutch Village is open extra hours to accommodate Tulip Time travellers. Come early or stay late during this fabulous week.
The 2024 Festival is May 4 - 12. It begins on Saturday May 4 and runs through Sunday May 12, 2024.
The two busiest days are always the Saturdays of the festival. If you have the ability to visit during the week, we highly recommend doing so, as this will avoid the large majority of crowds. During the week, you will have the best experience to view and fully enjoy the beauty queen of the festival: The Tulip.One of the best place to see tulips is right here at Dutch Village. But, we understand you will want to take in the other fabulous tulip displays around town.
Unlike other festivals, Tulip Time happens all around Holland, Michigan, not just at a fair park or downtown. There are six miles of Tulip lanes that line Holland's streets. You'll find several places to view the flowers that are magical.
Windmill Island Gardens, Riverview Park and Kollen Park offer spectacular tulip displays during Tulip Time. These larger parks have massive displays and don't get quite as crowded as the Tulip Lane downtown or Centennial Park.
Veldheer's Tulip Farm, located north of Nelis' Dutch Village on US-31, is another tulip highlight.
Tulip Time® is a registered trademark of Holland Tulip Time Festival, Inc.
Order the highest quality tulip bulbs directly from us. We place our order for tulip bulbs directly with the growers in the Netherlands in July, and import them in late September. Arriving at your home just in time for planting before winter's hard frosts, for beautiful color in the Spring of 2025.
2024 Bulb Order FormTulip Bulb orders ship in early to mid-October, just in time to plant!
Want a memory of the tulips that will last? Grab a bunch of our popular 14-inch wooden painted tulips in a variety of colors.
order online
While it is impossible to predict the weather, there are typically tulips in bloom from the last week in April through the third week in May.
The bulbs are in the ground growing and blooming in May! But you may order tulips from us to ship to you the fall.
Tulips should be planted in the fall before the ground freezes.
Yes, they should be refrigerated prior to planting for 6-8 weeks.