THE 12TH ANNUAL Woodland Tulip Festival hosted by Holland America Bulb Farms will be open the weekends of April 12-13 and April 19-20, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission to the festival is free and attendees can stroll through the show fields, meandering among vendors and more. Photo by Mike Schultz
THE ANNUAL WOODLAND Tulip Festival usually attracts between 15,000 and 30,000 visitors who come to see the 140 varieties of rainbow-hued tulips, which are arranged in precise beds. Photo by Mike Schultz
THOSE WHO ATTEND the 12th annual Woodland Tulip Festival will see a bulb farm with rich history. Benno Dobbe and his wife, Klazina, left their native Holland in 1980 and later decided Woodland was an ideal spot to start a flower and bulb farm. Photo by Mike Schultz
The next two weekends promise to be colorful ones in Woodland during the 12th annual Woodland Tulip Festival hosted by Holland America Bulb Farms.
The festival will be open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sat., April 12, and Sun., April 13, as well as Sat., April 19, and Sun., April 20.
Admission is free and the options range from strolling through the show fields, picking some tulips from U-pick fields, and meandering among vendors offering food, crafts and items for home gardens. In addition, the farm’s gift room is stocked with garden products, artwork, Dutch treats and other things.
Experienced do-it-your-selfers will present information about a variety of projects in the gazebo, including working with succulents and designing with bulbs.
There even something for the youngest participants – a Cutest Baby Contest.
The annual festival usually attracts between 15,000 and 30,000 visitors who come to see the 140 varieties of rainbow-hued tulips, which are arranged in precise beds.
Those who attend the festival will see a bulb farm with rich history. Benno Dobbe and his wife, Klazina, who married in 1970, left their native Holland in 1980 bound for California and a new life. They rented a small trailer in Los Angeles and headed up the coast, having already researched Woodland and decided it was the ideal spot to start a flower and bulb farm. They purchased 123 acres of land formerly occupied by United Bulb Co. and were on their way.
The couple began by hand-planting bulbs on their new property, building their business over the years by selling cut flowers to commercial vendors in 50 states. Eventually, sales of bulbs to growers nationwide increased, too. Today, Holland America Bulb Farms is one of the leading flower bulb growers in the U.S., producing four-fifths of the nation’s supply of tulip, iris, crocus and daffodil bulbs.
Benno and Klazina are proud to have become American citizens on July 4, 1996. Benno once told The Reflector, “We do so love this wonderful country of ours.”
A high honor was bestowed when he was asked to name two new hybrid tulips. He named one “Holland America” and the other “Woodland.”
To reach the farm, take Exit 21 off I-5 and follow signs to 1066 S. Pekin Road. More information is available at www.habf.net.
