The Dutch-themed park and gardens, which opened in 1965, skilled attendance peaks of 122,000 in 1972 and 1988. In 2021, pent-up demand from the pandemic led to a really busy summer time, because the park welcomed over 131,000 visitors.
This 12 months kicked off with a bang as practically 75,000 visitors visited in the course of the nine-day Tulip Time pageant. With a regular stream of summer time guests, park supervisor Matt Helmus estimates a last customer rely can be round 140,000. He cites a advertising and marketing strategy that’s “coordinated with group companions resembling our guests bureau and centered on our summer time and fall seasons” as key to drawing extra guests.
Over the previous couple of years, workers on the park has centered on enhancing the customer expertise by refurbishing present displays and including new backyard areas and sights. Examples embody themed annual gardens, up to date interpretive indicators, a everlasting grove of larger-than-life tulip sculptures carved from oak timber, a pollinator backyard along side the native MSU Extension, and extra.
Particular weekend sights
Whereas each day operations finish Oct. 2, the park can be open on weekends via Oct. 16. A part of the prolonged season consists of an artisan market throughout Holland’s Fall Fest on Oct. 7-8. Admission in the course of the prolonged weekends is $5 for adults, with youngsters admitted without spending a dime. Throughout this time, grounds workers members are busy pulling shows of annual vegetation and starting to plant tens of hundreds of tulip bulbs in preparation for subsequent spring.
The workers is also busy finalizing particulars for the primary Magic on the Mill winter exhibit. The ticketed occasion will happen Friday and Saturday evenings from Dec. 2-17. The centerpiece is a “tulip area” of 1,000 LED blossoms displaying a synchronized gentle and music present.
“Think about if Holland’s Tulip Pageant and Grand Haven’s Musical Fountain had a child,” Helmus says.
The windmill and park grounds can be lit up, and sights such because the carousel, road organ, and outlets can be open. There may also be a possibility for teenagers to greet Sinterklaas (the Dutch predecessor of Santa Claus) together with snacks and drinks. Tickets have to be pre-purchased, with info discovered at windmillisland.org.
