Al Koetje donned a Dutch hat Tuesday, offering a preview of what’s in store for Holland Happening paradegoers Saturday.
Koetje borrowed the hat from a good friend and found it fits nice and snug.
He figures it will be a good touch while he rides in a sleek yellow convertible as grand marshal of the Holland Happening parade, which begins at 11 a.m.
“This one’s pretty comfortable,” Koetje said. “It’s sure better than having to walk with wooden shoes. I’ve done that a few times. You put on a couple pair of socks so you can fit into the Dutch shoes then go klompen down the street.”
This is the first time for Koetje to be recognized in such a way during Oak Harbor’s annual celebration of Dutch heritage.
Oak Harbor’s mayor from 1972-96, Koetje was touched by the honor in a city he’s called home for 57 years.
“He was very humbled to be asked,” said Christine Cribb, executive director of the Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce, which runs the event that signals the start of Oak Harbor’s festival season.
Holland Happening commences at 5:30 p.m. Friday with the authentic Dutch Dinner at the First Reformed Church and wraps up Sunday.
The carnival starts Thursday.
Koetje has been around to see a lot of Holland Happenings. At 84, he owns a pretty good perspective of the city landscape and still follows local politics with a watchful eye.
“I miss the opportunity to work with the people,” he said.
(Below: A carnival worker puts the pieces together for the Tilt-A-Whirl ride in downtown Oak Harbor Tuesday. The Holland Happening carnival is scheduled to start Thursday afternoon and continue through Sunday.)
A Holland Happening committee selected Koetje as grand marshal. He is from Dutch descent with his last name translating to “cow.” He’s also widely known for the real estate company that bears his name that he and his brother founded.
“He is Oak Harbor,” Cribb said.
Koetje is proud of his Dutch heritage and his city.
“Oak Harbor is a wonderful place to live,” he said. “The Dutch contributions that have been made in Oak Harbor in the schools and churches and in business and government and medicine are all part of the Dutch heritage and I’m thankful that I was able to participate in a small way.”
The Holland Happening grand parade will feature at least 65 entries.
It will start on Pioneer Way and continue on to Bayshore Drive and back to Pioneer, ending near the Ace Hardware store.
The street fair has increased to nearly 90 vendors this year, up from 64 in 2014.
Among the vendors will be Patrick Christensen, who is working to bring his family’s Chris’ Bakery business back to Oak Harbor.
The Dutch Stroopwafel Company also will be serving Dutch treats.
The Lynden Bakery is not coming to Oak Harbor this year, said River Powers, the festival’s event coordinator.
Entertainment includes the traditional Klompen Canal Races.
Festival time
Holland Happening, Oak Harbor’s annual celebration of Dutch heritage, is April 24-26, in downtown. The grand parade that weaves through Pioneer Way and Bayshore Drive starts at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 25. The street fair featuring nearly 90 vendors is from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 25 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 26. The carnival starts Thursday afternoon and runs through Sunday. A Dutch Dinner featuring traditional Dutch dishes is 5:30 p.m. Friday at the First Reformed Church in Oak Harbor. Tickets are $15. The dinner features several Dutch favorites such as erwensoep (split pea soup with ham), hutspot (mashed potatoes and sausage), appelmoes (apple sauce), roggebrood met boter en kaas (rye bread with butter) and olliebollen (donuts). Oak Harbor High School’s culinary arts group, Wildcat Catering, is catering the event.
For more information, go to www.oakharborchamber.com or call 360-675-3755.
