HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) – The Tulip Time Luncheon was well attended Wednesday with over 900 attendees including Governor Snyder and Lt. Governor Calley.
Gwen Auwerda Executive Director of the Tulip Time Festival addressed the crowd with enthusiasm over many details of the Tulip Time Festival. The new sound system at Centennial Park was six years in the making and Auwerda says it’s made a huge difference for the Dutch Dancers. Holland Board of Public Works has also installed fiber optic for public wifi access at the park.
Awerda says the last four years have had a positive balance sheet for the Tulip Time Festival after four years of significant losses.
” We are a big contributer to a great community where people want to live, work and play. Tulip Time aids in creating the vibrant area that helps attract and retain talent for local businesses. As stated from Lakeshore Advantage, we are a stronghold of expertise in design, engineering and manufacturing. In fact, 23.2 percent of Ottawa County and 24.5 percent of Allegan County are highly skilled in manufacturing jobs. Almost triple the national average and the highest of any region in the state. Individually, these competencies are useful, but together form the framework for ongoing innovation. Like businesses we need to continue to innovate our programming that involves and is of interest to the under 35 demographic.”
The 2017 Tulip Time Festival runs till Sunday, May 14.
