Comfort Inn & Suites

Tulip Toren

by BLSM

The Tulip Tower in the center of Pella. It is the main stage for many activities of Tulip time. There are concerts in the summer held there. During Tulip Time streamers with the colors of the Dutch flag are flown.

Pella.....Dutch "Solvang" Mid West

by keida84

Settled by Dutch Calvinists, Pella is a quaint Dutch town just outside of Des Moines. During the Spring this sleepy little town comes to life bursting with color when the annual tulip festival happens.

"So much to see and so much to taste"

Pella, Iowa

by niewac

"Pella's Tulip Time"

Tulip Time in Pella, Iowa is in its 72nd year. Some 20,000 new tulip bulbs from the Netherlands are planted in Central Park every year, allowing townspeople to dig up last year’s bulbs for their own gardens all over town. Tulip Time commemorates the sacrifices of Pella’s founding fathers. The leader was Dominie Hendrick Pieter Scholte who, with a band of more than 700 Hollanders in 1847, found a new home and religious freedom in Pella, Iowa.

The Scholte House and Gardens was the home of Pella’s founder. The home and gardens are now open for touring by appointment. The garden includes two life-sized sculptures celebrating Pella’s Sesquicentennial. They are by Nick Klepinger and were dedicated by Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of The Netherlands in 1997. “The Gardener” is at the entrance and “The Gift” is in the garden.

The Tulip Toren at the south side of Central Park was built in 1968 and is 65 feet tall. The colors of the Netherland’s flag are flown during Tulip Time. The red carpet and throne originate at the base of the Toren to honor the queen and her court.

Central Park is the center of the community of Pella and includes a water fountain and various sculptures interspersing the park where you’ll enjoy many areas of beautiful plantings of tulips.

Pella Historical Village is celebrating its 40th Anniversary. Located just to the east of The Grain Mill, it includes the boyhood home of Wyatt Earp. The Village also includes 20 buildings of historical nature and picturesque flower gardens. You may also see the Garden Club’s flower show and enjoy a piano-player-like pipe organ named “Goliath”, the Village is a joy to tour and makes you feel as if you were in Europe visiting the Netherlands.

The Grain Mill is the tallest working windmill in the United States and is located to the southeast of Central Park. Each of its blades are 41 feet long and the windmill stands 135 feet tall. It runs entirely by wind energy and houses a miniature Dutch village (which I wish we had time to see!). The mill is used to grind flour which is packaged and used by local restaurants and bakeries.

Klokkenspel is located between the south side of Central Park and the Grain Mill. It offers music of a 147-bell computer-driven carillon. Eight four-foot mechanical figures perform to the music which plays every two hours during the day. The mechanical figures can be seen not only in front of Klokkenspel but also from the back in a quaint courtyard which includes a beautiful lace shop and hand painted polychrome tiles on the front of the building. This courtyard then leads to The Molengracht, which means “mill canal”, which includes a canal, drawbridge, hotel, restaurants, a theater and retail shopping. Of course, there are more areas of tulips as well.

Points of interest include a smaller windmill at the SE corner of Central Park and Dutch storefronts and architecture in Pella. Dutch buildings are designed to be tall and narrow with recognizable “step work” at the top.

The Tulip Time Festival is a very special time to learn about the city of Pella. You will see adults and children in brightly decorated costumes and wooden shoes. There are, of course, thousands and thousands of tulips, Dutch pastries (ask about “letters”) and meats. You’ll hear Dutch singing and see dancing, street scrubbers (you can‘t march on a soiled street!), windmills and parades. You’ll also see the queen and her court during the parades.

Pella is a unique village that should be visited any time during the year but especially at Tulip Time.