To get everyone in the mood for Holland Happening, a family-style carnival on Bayshore Drive opens Thursday, April 24, and runs through Sunday, April 27.

Throughout the weekend, stroll along Pioneer Way for superlative food, arts and crafts and a kinder korner. Windmills and chunky shoes aren’t the only focus of Holland Happening. Works of art by all ages will decorate downtown Oak Harbor for the Festival. Creations by elementary children of Oak Harbor School District will be on display in the windows of downtown Oak Harbor businesses April 23-27. Quilters on the Rock will blanket Pioneer Way with quilts in every style, color and size from wall hangings to samplers Friday and Saturday, April 25 and 26. After strolling up and down Pioneer Way Friday, people will have worked up appetites that can be filled at First Reformed Church.

Friday, April 25, a Holland Happening favorite makes an encore appearance for First Reformed Church’s celebration of its 100 years. A traditional Dutch dinner at the church is open to the public from 5 to 7 p.m. On the menu are erwtensoep (pea soup), gehakt ballejes met jus (meat balls with gravy), hutspot (potatoes, onion, carrots – mixed), sla met saus (tossed salad), appelsaus (applesauce), roggebrood met kaas (rye bread with gouda cheese), olie bollen (pastry dessert), koffie and limonade. Everyone who dines is certain to leave saying “Tis lekkar!” That’s good! Adults pay only $8; students (12-18) $6 and children (under 12) $4. Tickets will be available at the door. The church is on SW Third Avenue.

A dance at Oak Harbor Senior Center Friday, April 25, from 7 to 10 p.m., welcomes spring. Oak Harbor High School is the setting for Whidbey Whirlers’ square dance Friday, April 25, at 7:45 p.m

By Saturday morning, the olie bollen will have settled. It will be time to get filled up before the parade. Fill your belly at the Fire District 2 annual all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast from 7:30 – 11 a.m., Saturday, April 26, at Heller Road firestation. Menu will include ham, bacon, eggs, orange juice and lots of pancakes. Cost is $5 adults, $2 children 6-11 years, free for children under 6.

At 11 a.m., Saturday, all attention will be focused on the bellringer opening the parade.

After the parade Saturday, let music stir your soul during the International Dance Festival on Pioneer Way. And get some klompen carved for next year.

Tulips won’t be the only flower displayed in town that weekend. Oak Harbor Garden Club presents Patchwork Petals flower show Saturday, April 26, from noon to 5 p.m. at IOOF Temple, 721 SE Barrington Dr. The standard flower show will feature 46 classes of blooms, several design divisons and educational exhibits. Special exhibits will highlight junior gardeners, garden therapy and garden art. A garden of good tastes will showcase edible flowers and herbs.

Sunday, April 27, Whidbey Whirlers’ travel-out dance starts at Oak Harbor High School at 10 a.m.Lawnmower races start at noon, rodeo grounds off Fakkema Road. The Dance Festival continues Sunday from 1:45 to 4:30 p.m. To close the festival with style, a canal race complete with klompen floats spirits in Oak Harbor Sunday afternoon April 27.