The talented young musicians that make up the band 2 Sides of December will perform at the Gentex Street Performer Series this Thursday, July 9 from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm. During the Gentex Street Performer Series, the entire community is invited to experience the sights and sounds as over 25 different performing artists and groups from every background perform free for the public every Thursday evening through August 13! Throughout the summer, the Gentex Street Performer Series features an exciting line-up of over 75 rotating performer all along 8th Street, including musicians, jugglers, balloon twisters, caricature artists, break dancers, henna tattoo artists, and more. The 2026 Street Performer Series is proudly sponsored by Gentex Corporation with additional support provided by the Michigan Arts and Culture Council.
2 Sides of December is a West-Michigan based-band made up of musicians Luke Buwalda, Lane Buwalda, Cassie Mosher, and Grant Mosher, who are high school and college age siblings that have been friends for many years. The band features acoustic, electric, and bass guitars as well as drums and keys, all while highlighting the vocal talent in the group with a variety of music, from new indie songs to pop classics. This is the band’s second year performing in the Gentex Street Performer Series, but their first year as 2 Sides of December. They love the energy that comes with performing on 8th Street during the Thursday night series and they are excited to be returning this year. Visitors can expect a powerhouse of vocal talent, engaging showmanship, and upbeat music at their performances. This Thursday, you can find 2 Sides of December performing at the Musician's Park at the corner of 8th Street and Central Avenue.
Street Performer Series 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, as the Series is a traditional busking event.
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 to enjoy 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.
Street Performer Series Performer Line-Up for July 9
Balloon Twisters
Dan Mutschler
Dan Mutschler is a self-taught and talented balloon artist who performs regularly at birthday parties, scouting events, art fairs and more. He has over 21 years of experience and is constantly learning new designs to share with young and old alike. You’ll often find him strolling downtown with one his many creations in hand!
Sadie’s Balloons
Sadie Laarman is a Zeeland East High School student who discovered her love for balloon twisting in 6th grade and has been creating colorful balloon animals ever since! Sadie is passionate about the arts and is actively involved in various art programs at school. She’s thrilled to be returning to the Gentex Street Performer Series for her third summer!
Steve’s Twisted Balloons
Steve is a dad to two beautiful daughters and the owner of “Steve’s Twisted Balloons.” He started twisting balloons for family and friends at birthday parties just four years ago. Aft4er launching his public balloon-twisting career at the Street Performer Series, he has quickly become one of the area’s most sought-after balloon artists for special events, birthday party appearances, and more. He is excited to make his return to the Street Performer Series this year!
Dancers
Lisa Bullis-Dennen
Lisa has been a student and performer of Arab dance for over 20 years. She now focuses solely on Egyptian dance styles, continuing to learn from the teachers that first taught her the art. Her goal is to present an authentic and emotionally rich experience. Lisa lives part-time in Egypt, immersed in the rich history and culture. During her street performances you can also join in on some of her mini-lessons and wear one of the hip scarves she brings along!
Graphic Artists
Be Airbrushing
Libby Geurink is a high school teacher by day, who started an airbrush tattoo business to combine her love for being creative with her love of interacting with people! Libby has been a street performer on her own for several years and is excited to be teaming up with her 14-year-old daughter, Brea, for the first time this summer! Together, they can airbrush a wide variety of colorful designs on the skin, which are always popular with kids at festivals and events!
Caricatures by Britta
Britta Lindemulder has loved to draw since she was a young child. She earned how to draw caricatures while working at Michigan’s Adventure back in 2008 and graduated from Grand Valley State University in 2011. A tattoo artist by day, Britta has been drawing caricatures at the Street Performer Series since 2012. Passionate about all forms of art, Britta enjoys connecting with people and bringing their creative visions to life through her work.
Doodle Face
Brooke Wolf has talents in all creative outlets, but for the Street Performer Series she brings a unique style of art in the form of glitter tattoos! She uses safe and kid-friendly paints to make designs that are popular among all ages. When she’s not painting faces, you can also find Brooke assisting Steve’s Twisted Ballons!
Henna by Anna
Anna Hoskins is a full-time artist who holds both a BFA and MFA in drawing from Kendall College of Art and Design. While she enjoys working in her studio, she loves to combine her passion for art and meeting people by drawing henna tattoos at reunions, birthday parties, weddings and more! Anna has been a Street Performer Series regular for over 15 years
Henna by Jahara
Jahanara Begum has been a Street Performer in Downtown Holland since the beginning of the Street Performer Series. She is a highly skilled and experienced henna artist who uses all natural ingredients that are safe for the skin. Her designs never fail to impress her fans of all ages!
Liv for Henna
Alivia Apol is a 17-year-old with three years of experience as a henna tattoo artist. She’s loved creating art in multiple mediums since a young age, including acrylic painting, sketching, resin, and more. In addition to performing at the Street Performer Series, she’s also made appearances birthday parties, farmers markets, block parties, and more. Alivia works to provide a positive and fun experience for all age groups and loves being able to interact with others!
Musicians
2 Sides of December
2 Sides of December is a band made of friends and siblings Luke and Lane Buwalda and Carrie and Grant Mosher, who love playing live music! Together, they perform a mix of classic sing-along cover songs and great original songs! These four talented artists love to perform a variety of genres and draw a crowd at every show. They’ve generated a large following, been featured in articles, and accumulated large amounts of views and streams across all platforms!
Brethren
Brethren have a combined 75 years of stage experience entertaining crowds with music. Musicians Ben Barnes, Adam Davidson, Aaron Cole, and Zac Davidson have been performing in church basements, outdoor events, corporate parties, and more together or over 20 years. With a blend of classic rock, American standards, folk, and modern music, they bring the party to you with songs you know and love!
Brian Markaity
Brian is a West Michigan native multi-instrumentalist whose family taught him to love music from a young age. He started playing piano at the age of five and took on the keyboard in 2020. Brian also plays French horn with the Hope College Community Band.
Chase & Mitch
Chase Nelson and Mitch Lin are a talented voice and piano duo based in Taipei, Taiwan. Together, they perform a mix of English, Chinese, and Japanese pop and folk, ranging from Billy Joel to Alison Krauss.
Delbert Walling & Haley Houtz
Delbert and Haley first met when she was just a teenager taking guitar lessons from Delbert. Her vocal talent was evident then, and after college when she returned to the area, they teamed up to create a musical duo. Delbert and Haley have been now performing together for 16 years and perform a variety of genres with powerful vocals and guitar. They’ve enjoyed great success performing at festivals, theaters, corporate events, and more.
Dying Will Be Easy
Brothers James and Ben Woiwode, along with their friend Cameron Hurd, have been making music together for more than a decade in the West Michigan area as Dying Will Be Easy. This guitar, upright bass, and mandolin trio have a broad repertoire covering blues, Irish folk and modern rock. Their performances are a captivating mix of original compositions and reimagined covers, designed to resonate with a diverse audience!
Gooder’n Grits
Gooder’n Grits is a local West Michigan old-time string band that is inspired by the centuries old fiddle tunes of the upper south. The band is made up of two banjo players who clog and flatfoot, a fiddler and a guitar player, and two married couples whose lives have overlapped in many ways. This timeless music still resonates in their collective memories, rich and sweet and lovely.
Grand Haven Harmonics
Grand Haven Harmonics is an all-female acapella group sharing the power of vocal harmony. Rooted in collective singing, they bring warmth and musicality to all performances, especially when performing Christmas carols for nursing homes. Their diverse repertoire features love songs and patriotic pieces, aiming to uplift hearts and foster unity through acapella.
Maddy Grace
Maddy Kok is a 22-year-old with a huge passion for music, who works as a registered nurse. Maddy started singing when she was little, taught herself guitar at 11, and has been performing publicly since middle school. She loves sharing her music to create a fun, family-friendly atmosphere and bring joy to others at her performances!
Matthew Nolen
Matthew is a 25-year-old drummer who is passionate about the drum set and music. Matthew started playing when he was just five years old and has a strong passion for music, the drum kit, and live performance!
Noah and Evan Band
Noah Brandsen and Evan VandenBerg are a dynamic 15-year-old duo bringing high energy and passion to every performance. Evan has spent years mastering the electric guitar, while Noah has been behind the drums since the age of 3. Both have played in church bands and performed in front of large crowds, building strong stage presence and musical chemistry. They’re excited to perform downtown this summer, have fun, and share their love of music
Tarnished Brass
Tarnished Brass is a small group of brass band nerds West Michigan who enjoy playing popular and sacred music together at church events and music festivals. For over 20 years they’ve met every week for practice and fellowship. Over the course of the last 10 years, they’ve brought brass band music to the streets of Downtown Holland, Zeeland and Muskegon.
Third Class Flynn
Third Class Flynn is an Irish music busking duo, comprised of husband and wife Ray and Cindy Veen. Dressed as the characters Michael and Mary Flynn, Irish immigrants from the late 1800's, the Flynn's tell their story through the music of Ireland: folk tunes, dance tunes, pub tunes, laments, and more.
Other Performers
Connor Scholten
Connor Scholten first began yo-yoing as a young child in 1997, and he first performed for the public as part of the first ever Street Performer series in 2005. He has since worked full time as a yo-yo designer, coached the top players in the world, and taught yo-yo to thousands of people online. He is also the 2017 and 2018 National Yo-Yo Contest winner.
May & De Fuego
May & De Fuego is a fire-born performance duo where rhythm meets flame. Combining expressive dance, fire manipulation, theatrics and curated soundscapes, Nick May and Gem De Fuego deliver a visually captivating experience that turns every stage into a living story.
That Juggling Girl
Kaylin Meyers, known as That Juggling Girl, hails from Muskegon. She first began juggling at the age of 17. Since then, she’s gained over half a million followers online with hundreds of millions of views, has been featured on the world top 40 jugglers list, received an honorary international award from the International Jugglers’ Association, and has performed and taught internationally from California to New York and beyond.
