Hollandale festivities enjoyed by hundreds
By RACHEL LOVERINK
Staff Writer
The community of Hollandale may not be bustling like it once was, but judging by the droves of people gathered in the center of town last Saturday, this 100-year-old piece of small town America is still very much alive in the hearts of people near and far.
The highly anticipated centennial festivities began with an alumni softball game, hosted by Hollandale Christian School. Male and female alike joined in for this Friday night event and thankfully nobody got injured. Each and every spectator even snuck in a few chuckles in as well.
“Being part of HCS is all about community and family,” said HCS teacher Sara Brouwer. “We are intentional about providing opportunities to build new friendships and strengthen existing ones. Having a little competition between graduating classes is always fun; having multiple generations participate is even better.
HCS principal Susan Kozelskey added, “Although winning is great, we stress good sportsmanship, encouragement of all players and thanking God for the opportunity to be together. Although I’m sure there will be some competition, this game is mostly just about having fun.”
To savor the beautiful night, the school also hosted an outdoor movie night for everybody to enjoy in their back parking lot. Freshly popped popcorn accompanied young and old, as they settled into their blankets and chairs to witness a showing of the film Homeward Bound.
“This celebration is our way of giving back, of expressing our profound gratitude for the strong foundations they laid and the timeless bonds they forged,” said centennial planning committee member Stephanie Winter. “These bonds form the very essence of Hollandale.”
The festivities kicked into high gear the following morning, with a tour bus packed to the gills at the Conservative Congregational Church. At 9 a.m., the Hollandale Christian School bus departed to the southern end of town and then backtracked to the northern side with New Richland resident Gordon Loverink leading the charge.
Dressed in Dutch garb, Loverink also conducted an afternoon tour and again shared some of the many details learned from his meticulous research. As Loverink stated however, his 45 minute spiel barely scratched the surface on everything there is to learn about this unique town.
“For us, community is very cherished here,” said Winter. “It was most important for us to unite our community of past and present, to not only celebrate but also pay homage to the legacy that our resilient parents and grandparents painstakingly built, with their own hands, brick by brick.”
Most would agree that the Hollandale centennial celebration wouldn’t be complete without a farming centered presentation. So local vegetable farmer Peter Van Erkel volunteered to host a lively potato operation tour, thereby giving standers-by a pretty good idea of the work involved in building Hollandale’s farming industry.
“Back then, you could come here and acquire 10 or 20 acres of land to support your family and make a living,” Van Erkel said. “My grandparents moved here in 1924 and there was two railroads that serviced this area.”
He added, “All of this produce created a lot of job opportunities. Believe it or not, but this little sleepy town of Hollandale was one of the fastest growing communities in the state of Minnesota back then.”
Back in the heart of downtown, visitors had there fair share of engaging opportunities. Local vendors provided sustenance of all kinds and plenty of artisans showcased their latest creations.
“I enjoyed meeting people who used to live in Hollandale,” said Samuel Louters, the owner of the Mocha Man stand. “My great-grandpa brought his family to Hollandale in 1923 to farm. The Louters family has lived here ever since. With several generations of family roots in Hollandale and being a lifelong Hollandale resident myself, I felt honored to participate in Hollandale’s 100 year celebration.”
After partaking in some of this caffeine or a cupcake morsel, one could wander over to the truck and tractor show featured in the Reformed Church parking lot. Or, you could indulge in some Olie Bollen over by the Heritage Huis Museum. It was a Dutch paradise that’s for sure, with Wilhelmina mints, almond patties and windmill cookies for sale.
“The main goal of the centennial was to celebrate Hollandale’s 100 years and God’s faithfulness to us,” said centennial committee planning member Bryan Edwards.
Some also tried their luck at a game of Shuffleboard, while the little ones had a blast in the bouncy houses. Kids had plenty of opportunities to play in the park as well and those feeling adventurous enough could tour the Blue Goose storage sheds or participate in the cemetery tour.
At noon, Hollandale visitors gained a little more skip in their step with the variety show.
“We did three different sets,” Edwards said. “Classic rock, a hee haw set and then a gospel set; hoping to satisfy many musical palettes.”
A little while later, an extremely large crowd watched in anticipation as the 2023 Harvest Festival queen received her crown. And since it had been 15 years since the last award ceremony, let’s just say Aubri DenHerder’s face lit up like the fourth of July.
“I am honored to be crowned Hollandale Harvest Festival Centennial Queen,” DenHerder said. “There were many great candidates vying for the title with me. This summer, I was at Basic Combat Training with the Army National Guard, and didn’t know if I would be back to Hollandale in time for the celebration. I want to thank everyone who voted for me, and prayed for me while I was gone.”
Each candidate was asked to compose an essay describing what heritage meant to them. And out of the eight girls vying for the title, clearly DenHerder’s words deeply touched the hearts of both the city council and centennial planning committee members.
“There are many working parts to making a festival go,” said centennial committee planning member Allison Muilenberg. “We had so much help from the Heritage Huis, the Hollandale fire department, Produce State Bank and the city of Hollandale. I could not have asked for a better group of people to work with and who care so much about our little piece of Minnesota history.”
A short while later, the Grande Parade commenced, rain and all. However, despite the bouts of intermittent showers, those seated atop each float didn’t really seem to mind. Neither did the spectators scurrying all about for pieces of candy.
“The enthusiasm of our community was beautifully reflected in the active participation of local businesses in this parade,” Winter said. “What made this parade particularly special was the selection of our parade grand masters - individuals who stand as living testaments to the deep roots of Hollandale, having experienced life here since its near beginning. Our eldest Hollandalers, who have witnessed the everchanging timeline of our community, graced us with their presence at the helm of the parade.”
Then, much to everyone’s dismay, the Dutch Dancing event was finished before it even started, due to heavier downpours of rain. However, a bright spot in the late afternoon included an indoor Little Mister and Little Miss Dutch costume contest, where each boy and girl participant received well-deserved first place prizes for their darling efforts.
The evening itinerary for this auspicious occasion was jam-packed with entertainment as well; after all, you only celebrate 100 years just the once.
“After experiencing a delicious taste of Hollandale at the Sweet Corn and Baked Potato Feed, attendees grooved their way on to the Street Dance for live music and dancing,” Winter said. “During the first intermission, the fireworks display commemorated our 100 years of community!”
Winter concluded, “Over the years, we’ve witnessed the ebb and flow of businesses, but our agricultural roots run deep, serving as the bedrock of our strength as a community. While we would certainly welcome the prospect of our beloved town flourishing with new faces, new businesses and a broader array of opportunities, it’s important to emphasize that our small rural town isn’t fading away anytime soon. Rather, we remain firmly rooted, determined to preserve Hollandale’s enduring spirit. The ties that bind us are unbreakable, and pride and resilience are a part of everything we do.”