The best way to welcome spring into Iowa is a big time celebration in a small, rural town. Each May, the town of Pella creates a one-of-a-kind celebration in honor of the beginning of springtime and the blooming of tulips. With delicious food, fascinating history and unique vendors, Tulip Time in Pella, Iowa, is definitely the best tulip festival in Iowa and might just be the best festival in the whole state.
Pella, Iowa is a small town in Marion County that was founded by immigrants from the Netherlands - and it's home to a spectacular Iowa tulip festival.
Located about 44 miles east of Des Moines and surrounded by gorgeous landscapes, it's a unique Dutch retreat.
Throughout the town, you'll find evidence of the residents heritage. Dutch architecture is prominent.
There are even canals, just like in Amsterdam!
As March turns into April and April turns to May, the town's tulip beds begun bursting with the bright blooms of spring.
Everywhere you look, you'll begin to see the town erupting with these beautiful flowers, in reds, yellows, oranges and purples.
Is there anything more breathtaking than a town covered in tulips? I don't think so! Pella is probably the best place to see tulips in Iowa.
But the town truly comes to life during Tulip Time, in early May. This year, the festival is May 4-6th, 2023.
Dutch vendors from all over come to show off their heritage and cultural pride, selling traditional dutch foods, crafts, clothing... and yes, clogs!
These hand-crafted clogs are carved by local artisans and painted in bright colors, just like the wooden clogs in Holland.
Be sure to stop by Jaarsma Bakery, where you can pick up delicious, traditional dutch treats. They've been in Pella since 1898!
Jaarsma is home to the famous Dutch Letters pastry. On an average week, they bake 10,000 Dutch Letters, but during Tulip Time, they top 35,000!.
You don't have to cross the Atlantic for an unforgettable Dutch trip! There's no better place to visit this spring than the charming town of Pella, Iowa.
Have you visited Pella, Iowa in the past? It's very cool to feel like you've visited Amsterdam without leaving the state! To find out more about this tulip festival in Iowa, you can visit the organization's official Facebook page. You can also visit the website of Pella's most famous bakery. There are a few other places in Iowa that are like visiting other countries - in fact, you can pretty much Travel The World Without Actually Leaving Iowa.
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