It’s too early for crocus to bloom much less tulips. But in the middle of winter, Oak Harbor is preparing for Holland Happening in April. And the first sign of the spring festival is its comemmorative tile.

Oak Harbor’s first Holland Happening kicked off a 1968 weekend. And the festival grew with the years.

On sale is the latest in the long series of tiles. This one featuring the late Dorothy Neil, the inspiration behind Holland Happening.

Holland Happening organizers introduced the tile in 1978 as a fundraiser for the weekend which honors Oak Harbor’s Dutch families. Leonard Nydam, a Lynden resident, was hired as the artist for the first tile in 1978. Nydam’s work featured a portrait of Holland Gardens in traditional Delft blue. A 1978 Oak Harbor newspaper reported the tiles were enjoying “brisk sales” and that another 300 tiles might be ordered.

The 1978 tile was the first, and last, time an outside artist decorated a Holland Happening tile. In 1979, Dorothy Neil, a longtime reporter and columnist for the Whidbey News-Times, began designing the tile.

In 1978, papers credited Neil with being the “Mother of Holland Happening” since she had spearheaded the drive to start such a festival. She created art for Holland Happening tiles through 2004. Neil, Oak Harbor’s historian, who some called the town’s best friend, died May 8, 2004,

2005’s Holland Happening won’t be without tiles or Neil. This year, the tile salutes Dutch heritage and Dorothy Neil, “A Glimpse of a Visionary.”

Holland Happening’s organizing committee chose Neil for this year’s tile, and the decision wasn’t difficult.

“She was important to all of us,” Priscilla Heistad, executive director of Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce, said.

“Dorothy was involved with Holland Happening from the beginning. Jan (Ellis) and Helen (Chatfield-Weeks), in particular, wanted a ‘Dorothy tile’ because she inspired Holland Happening,” Heistad said.

A portrait of Neil taken by Helen Chatfield-Weeks graces the tile. Friezes of tulips border the tile and in the background are images of Neil’s past tiles. People who look closely at the tile will see an emblem of the town’s Irish settlers, not in shamrock green but Delft blue.

Chatfield-Weeks took the photo of Neil at Island County Museum March 17, 2002. Neil had decorated her cheek with a shamrock in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.

“That’s Dorothy,” Chatfield-Weeks said. “She was Irish through and through, but she always supported the Dutch.”

And she’ll still be supporting the Dutch in 2005, even though she died in 2004. The tiles cost $12 at the chamber office.