ORANGE CITY, IOWA - Orange City's Tulip Festival 2009 – May 14, 15, 16 2009 – celebrates the best of small-town America and highlights this thriving community's rich Dutch heritage. Orange City’s Tulip Festival was named “one of the top six destinations in the Midwest,” by The Kansas City Star (2001), while readers of AAA’s Home & Away magazine named this event their top pick for Iowa festivals (2003).   The Tulip Festival recently was named to the Top 100 Events in North America by the American Bus Association (2008)

 Each year, 1,000 volunteers welcome and entertain 100,000 visitors to this community in the Northwest corner of Iowa. Daily festivities of family-friendly fun include the twice-daily VolksParade, preceded each afternoon by the StraatFeest – dance and song performances by hundreds of local citizens of all ages in authentic Dutch costumes. Popular festival attractions also include the Dutch Dozen, singing and dancing in wooden shoes, Fietsenzangers, a bicycling singing troupe, and a Quilt Show featuring hundreds of quilts, from traditional masterpieces to modern art; this year’s Quilt Show Theme: “Patches on the Prairie.”

For a tour of town and tulips, consider charming horse-drawn trolley rides or a private ride in the Festival’s Pedicabs, powered by a volunteer on a bicycle. The StraatMarkt offers delicious ethnic foods from spicy local brats to delicious desserts. Poffertjes, tiny pancakes in rum butter, are a local favorite available at the Little White Store on Central Avenue while “Dutch Puppies” are a popular treat – a waffle on a stick covered in chocolate and whipped cream.

 Carnival rides provide thrills for kids of all ages: toddler-friendly train rides, wild spins for teens, and a Ferris wheel for those preferring a peaceful view of tulip gardens in Windmill Park. Children of all ages enjoy historic Dutch games from another era in the StraatMarkt, while free daily puppet shows feature stories from the Netherlands.

Friday is Youth Night and this year’s 4th Annual VandeFear (a Dutch spoof on Fear Factor), teams of high schoolers in the region will race to conquer unique challenges in friendly competition. Crowds can enjoy cheering on the competitors from the safety of the sidelines, beginning at 8:00 pm., where food vendors offer treats and carnival rides await. Remedy Drive, a national recognized Christian band, will continue the entertainment with a concert in the Windmill Park after Vande Fear.   

Saturday morning begins with brisk exercise or a hearty breakfast. The Annual Kiwanis Club Road Race includes both 5K and 10K runs this year with TimeTrack computer aided timing system. The race includes a wellness walk and is open to athletes of all ages, with registration forms on the festival website. This year packets must be picked up Friday evening, with Saturday check-in at 7:00 am, and the race begins at 8:00 at Windmill Park. The Fly-in Breakfast at the Municipal Airport is from 7:00 to 11:00 am and includes pancakes and sausage for a freewill donation to RISE Ministries.

Art Burst, Saturday’s juried regional art show and sale will be held on the Sioux County Courthouse lawn from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm. Regional artists display and sell a variety of media in a relaxing, outdoor venue. Native American musicians, Brulé will perform throughout the day at Art Burst, with a free concert on the Sioux County Courthouse lawn.   “What does "Brule" mean?” asked Sioux City Journal writer Bruce R. Miller. “In a word, incredible…. the Native American group from Lower Brule, S.D., dazzled with sights and sounds rarely experienced in such a setting.” (12/03/05 Sioux City Journal)  Learn more at www.brulerecords.com

Location?  Orange City is just off Highway 60 between Sioux City, IA and Worthington, MN, is only 60 miles south of Interstate 90, and 45 minutes north of Sioux City.  

  Learn more, preview our 2009 television commercials (coming soon) and download the 2009 Orange City Tulip Festival brochure at www.octulipfestival.com. 

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For more information, press passes, or to make arrangements for press visits, please contact

The Tulip Festival Press Team by emailing us both. We’re 2 of the 1,000 volunteers and want to be sure one of us is available to assist you in visiting and featuring our event!

Contact Info:

Ashley Meekma  -  Ashley.Saras@oldmasters.biz

Kelsi Johnson  -  kelsi.johnson@quatrocomposites.com