PELLA, Iowa — The city of Pella is celebrating its yearly celebration of Dutch culture as visitors flock to the Tulip Time Festival.
With a picturesque windmill, more than 300,000 blooming tulips and townspeople dressed in traditional Dutch attire, the three-day event (May 4-6, 2023) gives attendees plenty to check out.
Interested in experiencing the tulips for yourself? Here's what you need to know.
How much do tickets for Tulip Time cost?
The Tulip Time Festival is completely free to attend.
But there are tours and excursions available that can run you up to $20 per adult and $15 per child.
If you want to take a tour around the city on a wagon, explore the windmill and village in-depth or take a walk through the Pella Historical Society and Museum, you can buy tickets online.
When is Tulip Time this year?
This year, the event runs from Thursday, May 4 to Saturday, May 6.
Events vary by day, but the town will be bustling with life as early as 7 a.m. and as late as 9 p.m. over the course of the festival.
A full schedule of events and locations is available on Pella's Tulip Time website.
What can I expect when I arrive?
Aside from tulips, Pella's streets are sure to be chock full of food stalls offering Dutch food — like Dutch letters and uitsmijer — and familiar festival favorites, like walking tacos, lemonade shakeups and more.
A full list of vendors is available here.
There are also craft booths, twice-daily parades featuring the renowned Pella Dutch Marching Band and plenty of other free entertainment options throughout the festival.
For a full list of pop-up performances as well as the nightly Feesthouden show's schedule, check out the full Tulip Time Schedule.
Where can I park?
There is limited parking in downtown Pella, but there are plenty of other options for those willing to spend a few dollars.
Paid lots, with shuttle costs factored in:
- 1417 Washington Street; Delta Building A is $10 per vehicle, available Friday and Saturday
- 300 Eagle Lane; Pella Christian High School is $10 per vehicle, available Saturday only
First-come, first-served basis parking lots:
- Open Bible Church; 837 Washington Street is $10 per day
- Calvary Church; 408 Maple Street is free and has a downtown shuttle
- First Reformed Church; 605 Broadway Street is $15 per day
For those needing handicapped spaces, the Pella Public Library parking lot has limited spaces available.
More information on road closures and non-parking shuttles is available here.
What will the weather be like?
Though it varies day to day, the Local 5 weather team predicts temperatures across central Iowa will stay in the 60s and 70s, with scattered storm chances sweeping in late Thursday and a potential warm-up predicted for the weekend.
Make sure to check out Local 5's most up-to-date forecast and interactive radar before you head out.