The two-day community celebration, proudly sponsored by T-Mobile Fiber, will bring seasonal activities including pumpkin carving, family activities, and more to Downtown Holland.
One of the most highly anticipated fall festivals in West Michigan will return to Downtown Holland on Friday, October 2 and Saturday, October 3! The Downtown Holland Fall Fest features two days of fall fun, hosted in partnership with the Holland Farmers Market, Tulip Time, and Windmill Island Gardens. During Fall Fest, the entire community is invited to celebrate everything there is to love about fall, with professional pumpkin carving, children’s activities, tasting tours, an artisan makers market, hayrides, a Touch a Truck event, and more! The 2026 Fall Fest is proudly sponsored by T-Mobile Fiber, as the company continues to invest in the Holland community and expand high-speed fiber internet for residents.
“We’re proud to support a tradition that brings Holland neighbors, families, and local businesses together,” said Brad Stidham, Director of Regional Broadband Marketing at T-Mobile. “As we continue expanding T-Mobile Fiber in the area, we’re working to bring reliable, 100% fiber internet and more choice to Holland residents while finding meaningful ways to connect with and support the community. Fall Fest is a great opportunity to do just that and celebrate the people that make Holland such a vibrant place to call home.”
Fall Fest will kick off on Friday, October 2 with Tulip Time’s Community Tulip Planting from 10:30 am – 3:00 pm. Visitors and community members can visit the Tulip Time website (www.tuliptime.com) to sign up for a time slot to help plant 75,000 of Holland’s famous tulip bulbs at Window on the Waterfront in Downtown Holland! Tulips are planted in October so they will bloom in the spring in time for the annual Tulip Time Festival from April 30 – May 9, 2027. Gardening gloves are recommended, but all other tools and instructions will be provided onsite. Volunteers are also needed to plant tulips at Window on the Waterfront on Saturday, October 3 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm.
Tulip Time will also be hosting the third annual Fall Fest Makers Market at the Holland Civic Center Place on Friday, October 2 from 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm and Saturday, October 3 from 8:00 am – 3:00 pm. The Makers Market features over 50 local artisans and crafters selling hand-crafted jewelry, home décor, artwork, clothing, specialty foods and more! There is no fee to attend the Markers Market.
The Proost! Fall Tasting Tour is an all-new addition to this year’s Fall Fest, also hosted by Tulip Time. The Proost! Tasting Tour is a spirited walking journey through Downtown Holland that blends local flavor with Dutch charm. This 21+ experience invites guests to stroll on a guided tour between three festive stops, each offering a curated selection of three 3 oz. alcoholic pours, thoughtfully paired with small bites. The tour is a delicious and engaging way to explore the stories, flavors, and spirit of the fall season. The Proost! Tasting Tour will be offered on Friday, October 2 and Saturday October 3 at 3:00 pm, 4:00 pm, and 5:00 pm. Advanced tickets are required for the tour. Tickets can be purchased at www.tuliptime.com.
On Friday night, visitors can also enjoy the annual Fire Truck Parade on 8th Street in Downtown Holland beginning at 7:00 pm. This popular procession, hosted by the West Michigan Fire Prevention Council, features fire trucks and emergency vehicles from public safety departments throughout West Michigan to mark National Fire Safety Week. At the conclusion of the parade, families are invited to the Holland Civic Center Place for a variety of fire safety activities and demonstrations.
Fall Fest continues Saturday, October 3 with the Makers Market at the Holland Civic Center Place beginning at 8:00 am and at the Holland Farmers Market. The Holland Farmers Market will be open for Fall Fest from 8:00 am – 2:00 pm on Saturday for customers to shop for all of their favorite fall products, including fresh apples, gourds, mums, pumpkins, and squash, along with a wide variety of seasonal produce and specialty gourmet food items. From 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, children can also enjoy pumpkin painting for just $1.00 with pumpkins supplied by Boeve Farms and paint supplied by Fris Supply Shop, along with free barrel rides and a variety of fun fall games with prizes.
Last year’s popular Fall Fest Touch a Truck event will also return to Windmill Island Gardens on Saturday, October 3 from 9:30 am – 1:00 pm. Families are invited to see a variety of emergency vehicles and construction trucks up close and meet the drivers that use them every day at their jobs! Admission to Windmill Island Garden is just $5.00 for adults (ages 15 and under are free), which also includes the opportunity to tour all of the Dutch attractions on the Island, including the famous DeZwaan Windmill and historic Dutch carousel. Windmill Island Gardens will also be offering hayrides around the Island for Fall Fest for just $1.00 per person.
Of course, the highlight of Downtown Holland’s Fall Fest is undoubtedly the professional pumpkin carvers,
who will be carving live in Downtown Holland on both Friday, October 2 and Saturday, October 3. This
year’s line-up of the nation’s best professional pumpkin carvers includes Danny Kissel (Winner of Food Network’s “Outrageous Pumpkins,” Dean Murray (Featured on Food Network’s “Halloween Wars”) and Greg Butauski (World Champion Ice Carver and the owner of Rock on Ice).
The carvers will spend all of Fall Fest carving an elaborate display of giant pumpkins in GDK Park. Carvers will be carving live from 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm on Friday, October 2 and again from 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm on Saturday, October 3. In addition to watching the professional carvers in action, attendees can stroll the decorated streets while visiting shops and restaurants, experience the sights and sounds of street performers from 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm on Saturday, and even enjoy an adult beverage as part of the Downtown Holland Social District, which is open daily form 11:00 am – 11:00 pm. Over 20 Downtown Holland businesses and organizations will also have custom professionally carved pumpkins on display all along the sidewalks throughout the weekend.
Throughout the weekend, attendees can also stop by the T-Mobile Fiber booth both at the Holland Civic Center and on 8th Street in Downtown Holland to learn about fiber internet in Holland, enjoy family friendly activities including Connect 4, enter to win raffled giveaways, and pick up fun T-Mobile swag!
For more information on all the Downtown Holland Fall Fest happenings and a complete schedule of events,
be sure to visit the official event website at www.hollandfallfest.com, follow the Downtown Holland Fall Fest
event page on Facebook or call 616.796.1210 with question
