Make Downtown Holland your 4th of July designation for celebrating Independence Day! In addition to the annual Celebrate and Save shopping and dining promotion, the Gentex Street Performer Series will also take place on the 4th of July from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm. Head to Downtown Holland to experience the sights and sounds as 25 different performing artists and groups from every background perform free for the public all along 8th Street. It’s the perfect way to spend the evening before the Macatawa Area Coordinating Council (MACC) Community Fireworks at Kollen Park at dusk! The 2024 Street Performer Series is proudly sponsored by Gentex Corporation in celebration of its 50th Anniversary, with support from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council.
This Thursday, look for Steve Tamayo of Steve’s Twisted Balloons, twisting balloon creations at the corner of 8th Street and College Avenue! He will have red, white, and blue balloons to celebrate the 4th of July, along with a wide variety of unique balloon creations fun for all ages! Tamayo had been creating small balloon creations for his daughters for years but was inspired to keep practicing and hone his craft after watching another balloon twister perform at the Gentex Street Performer Series a few years ago. This will now be the third summer that Tamayo has been twisting balloons downtown, and he loves every minute of it. You may find that Tamayo often has a line of customers at the Gentex Street Performer Series, but his creations, positive attitude, and friendly personality are well worth the wait!
“Balloon twisting is something that helps me through my bad days,” said Tamayo “Becoming a balloon artist has been the best decision I’ve made in my life. I now know why I was put on this Earth, and it was to help create happiness for all ages. The smiles and the compliments I’m fortunate to receive never get old!”
Attendees should note that 8th Street will be closed to thru traffic and parking from Columbia Avenue to River Avenue from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm on Thursday nights to accommodate the crowd. Free public parking for the event is available in the surface lots on 7th and 9th Streets, in the 7th and 9th Street Parking Decks, and at the Holland Civic Center Place. And don’t forget that while the Series is free to attend, tipping the performers is customary.
The Downtown Holland Social District is also open during the Street Performer Series, meaning that patrons ages 21+ can purchase alcoholic beverages at one of nearly 20 different participating establishments while strolling throughout Downtown Holland during the event. For a list of participating establishments, the social district regulations, and the district boundaries, please visit www.downtownsocialdistrict.com.
