One of the first things we did in Pella was attend the Grandstand show at 1:00. The event showcased many traditions, several of which that have been a part of the Tulip Time festival since it began.
First, they did a reenactment of a cheese market in Holland where pairs with matching hats would carry wheels of cheese on a barrow. There was also a high school group called the Dutchesses that performed traditional Dutch song and dance, of course while wearing wooden shoes.
During the “Parade of Provinces,“ different styles of traditional clothes from the various Netherlands provinces were shown and explained. For one of the costumes, the color of rope worn represented how many cows the person had!
The ceremony ended with more dancing, the crowning of this year’s Tulip Queen. This was followed by the street sweeping and parade, all of which have been longtime traditions of Tulip Time (though the parade has certainly grown in size).
It was neat to be able to see a different culture in Iowa- you certainly wouldn’t find anything like it in Waverly. Everyone from elementary schoolers, high schoolers, and older adults in the town were all a part of the parade and festivities. You can tell that the Dutch culture of the town is deeply engrained and that people a lot of pride in it!