– One of the most highly anticipated fall festivals in West Michigan will return to Downtown
Holland on Friday, October 6 and Saturday, October 7! Fall Fest is two days packed full of fall-themed
fun, hosted by Downtown Holland 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, pumpkin painting, community tulip planting, an
artisan market, hayrides, street performers, and more! Fall Fest is proudly sponsored by Crown Motors,
member of West Michigan Honda Dealers, with in-kind support from the Courtyard Marriott, Fris Supply
Shop, the Holland Area Visitors Bureau, and Tulyp Hotel, Tapestry Collection by Hilton.

Fall Fest kicks off on Friday, October 6 with Community Tulip Planting from 10:00 am –12:00 pm and 1:00
pm – 3:00 pm, hosted by Tulip Time. 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 90th annual Tulip Time Festival from May 4 – 12, 2024. Gardening gloves are
recommended, but all other tools and instructions will be provided onsite. Volunteers are also needed to
plant tulips on Saturday, October 7 from 8:00 am – 10:00 am and 10:00 am – 12:00 pm.

Tulip Time will also be hosting their second annual Fall Fest Artisan Market at the beautiful Windmill
Island Gardens on Friday, October 6 from 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm and Saturday, October 7 from 10:00 am –
5:00 pm. The Artisan Market features over 80 local artisans and crafters be selling their works as part of
this juried show. Visitors can shop for hand-crafted jewelry, home décor, artwork, clothing, specialty foods
and more! Food trucks will also be available at the Artisan Market. Entry to the Windmill Island is just
$5.00 per person, which also includes the opportunity to tour the beautiful gardens at Windmill Island and
to visit the Dutch attractions, including the DeZwaan Windmill, the historic Dutch carousel, the miniature
Dutch village and much more. Windmill Island Gardens will also be offering Fall hayrides on Saturday,
October 7 from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm for just $1.00.

The Holland Farmers Market will be open from 8:00 am – 2:00 pm on Saturday, October 7 for customers
to shop for all the fresh products that fall has to offer including 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 provided by Boeve
Farms, free barrel rides from Visser Farms, and a variety of games with prizes. Professionally carved
pumpkins will also be on display at the Market.

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 6 and Saturday, October 7.

This year’s line-up of the nation’s best professional pumpkin carvers includes:

Greg Butauski (World Champion Ice Carver)
Chad Hartson (Featured on Food Network’s “Cake Wars”)

Danny Kissel (Winner of Food Network’s “Outrageous Pumpkins” and featured on Food Network’s

“Halloween Wars” and “Best in Snow” on Disney)

Dean Murray (Featured on Food Network’s “Halloween Wars” and “Foodtastic” on Disney +)

Maryse Swanson (Winner of “Foodtastic” on Disney +)
Matthew Stoddart (Featured on “Foodtastic” on Disney +)

This year’s professional pumpkin carver line up will also include returning pro carvers Raea Blackburn

and Ryan Roth from Rock on Ice in Columbus, Ohio.

The carvers will spend Friday afternoon and evening carving pumpkins all along 8th Street in Downtown
Holland, including a display of giant pumpkins in GDK Park. Carvers will be carving from 3:00 pm – 7:00
pm on Friday and again from 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm on Saturday. In addition to the watching the
professional carvers in action, attendees can stroll the decorated streets while visiting shops and
restaurants, enjoy the sights and sounds of street performers from 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm on Saturday and
sip a drink as part of the Downtown Holland Social District, which is open daily form 11:00 am – 11:00
pm. Over 30 Downtown Holland businesses and organizations will also have custom pumpkin carvings
on display all along the sidewalks throughout the weekend. All of the professionally carved pumpkins will
remain on display through Sunday, October 8.

For more information on all the Fall Fest happenings and a complete schedule of events, be sure to visit
the official event website at www.hollandfallfest.com or call 616.796.1210 with questions.