It’s tulip time again.

The Kiwanis Club of Holland starts its 65th Holland Tulip Festival, a long-standing Western New York springtime tradition, after a two-year absence because of the pandemic. The festival starts tonight and runs through Sunday.

The festival marks its return from the COVID-19 pandemic with a whole host of events and activities. They include a carnival, magic show, bounce house and face painting for the kids. Perennial favorites include the tulip queen pageant, the parade down Main Street, the 5K fun run and walk. There’s also an art show and a flower show.

Organizers say it wasn’t easy, but they’re thrilled to be able to bring this event back to full bloom for the community and the Kiwanis Club.

“This event pulls our town together; when it was postponed two years ago, it was a sad day in Holland,” Susan Vanderbush, the Festival Pageant co-director, said.

“It’s a big community event, they’ll see friends, they’ll bring their families, their families will have fun, their friends will have fun, and it’s just an all-around good thing, and at the same time, they’re supporting the Kiwanis Club,” Larry Johnson, the festival's general chairman, added.

Organizers say that all of the tulips featured this year were all planted last fall. A list of activities can be found here.