Holland Fest returns with plenty of food, wiener dog races, ice cream, and a nod to America's 250th

Holland — Holland is set to celebrate the town, its residents and the country’s 250th with the annual Holland Fest opening Friday evening.

According to Kelsey Erny, now in her second year as event chair, the festival’s success is measured in how much it impacts the community. Last year and the year before, the fest helped raise more than $15,000 for the schools, churches, the fire department and other organizations, she said.

“We do this to be able to give back and put it right back into the community,” she said.

That’s why all the booths are hosted by local nonprofits and school organizations and why all the sponsors step up to support the committee’s efforts to celebrate and make the town better.

Erny pointed to those sponsorships as an important part of keeping most of the fest’s events free. The Kids Zone, concert, fireworks and multiple shows and competitions are available for free due to contributions from multiple businesses and individuals.

That makes it an easy stop for anyone looking to have fun and get out this weekend.

“That’s kind of our goal — to get more people to know about us and just get everyone to come,” she said.

What to expect

With the 250th anniversary of our country, the opening ceremony on Friday evening will honor Holland American Legion Post 343, and the Sons of the American Revolution will be conducting the color guard. Then, Saturday’s fireworks will also celebrate the country’s birthday.

The rest of the weekend fills out with a mix of family and community events. Friday brings the Little Miss & Mr. Pageant and the season’s first stretch of Kids Zone, both at Henke Stadium and the softball field. Saturday opens early with the Tulip Trot 5K & Kids Run and a Farm to Table Breakfast, followed by the Craft & Farmer’s Market at the Large Shelter House, open to all ages. The afternoon adds the Kiddie Tractor Pull, Dutch Games, an Adult Cornhole Tournament, a visit from The Balloon Guy, the Wondering Dutchmen Backyard BBQ Awards, and a Kids Cornhole Tournament. The weekend closes out Sunday with community church services and a dinner hosted by Holland American Legion Post 343.

With a full slate of events set for the weekend, Erny was hard-pressed to point out any one event as a not to miss.

“I like it all,” she said.

She did say that the wiener dog races, now in their second year, as a great crowd draw. And this year, in addition to the multiple heats, there is a new People’s Choice Award awarded by public vote from the crowd following a wiener dog parade before the races start.

“I also didn’t realize there were that many people with wiener dogs around here,” Erny said. “It just brings a huge crowd to line up the sides of the racetrack.”

Her other pick was Saturday evening: Happy New Month, a band that plays regularly at Holiday World and carries a setlist covering ‘literally everything,’ and then the fireworks over Holland Lake at 9:35 p.m.

The Prairie Farms Ice Cream Eating Contest, now with elementary, middle school and adult divisions, also remains one of the fest’s bigger hits, Erny said — popularity she credits partly to her own kids’ age group getting more involved in recent years.

Erny also has a hard time recommending any one of the 11 food booths at this year’s festival as the go-to food choice, but with the return of the food passport, attendees have an incentive to hit them all.

Now in its second year, the food passport asks visitors to spend at least $2 at each of the 11 food booths and collect a stamp at each stop. One passport per family. Full passports are due at the information booth by 8 p.m. Saturday for a drawing; the winner gets $50.

“It just gets people to go to help support all of the booths, rather than just continuing going back to one,” Erny said.

There are two new food booths join the lineup: Miss Delmy and the Cipotes, serving pupusas, tacos, desserts and fruit juice, and Southridge Youth Bowling, with mini pancakes, waffles on a stick and mini donuts.

Asked to pick a favorite, she wouldn’t. “They’re all good,” Erny said, though she pointed to the Holland United Methodist Church fricassee soup as a longtime local staple alongside the Kiwanis Club’s ice cream sundaes, milkshakes and pizza, and Southridge Bowling’s pork chop sandwiches, ribs and curly fries.

Check out the full list of events and food booths below.

Erny credited the community and the event committee with keeping the event running.

“Everyone has a role, and they all step up and work together,” she said.

HOLLAND FEST 2026 — FULL SCHEDULE

Friday

5:00 p.m. — Food booths open
6:00 p.m. — Opening ceremony, Henke Stadium (sponsored by Holland Park Board)
6:00 p.m. — Beer garden opens
6:30 p.m. — Little Miss & Mr. Pageant, Henke Stadium (sponsored by Branded by Woods)
6:30–10:00 p.m. — Kids Zone open (sponsored by Springs Valley Bank & Trust)
8:00 p.m.–12:00 a.m. — Live music by Dayne & Friends, Steve & Kathy Henke Main Stage (sponsored by Blessinger Insurance)
10:00 p.m. — Food booths close
12:00 a.m. — Beer garden closes

Saturday

8:00 a.m. — Tulip Trot 5K & Kids Run (presented by Hummingbird Daycare Ministries)
8:00–10:00 a.m. — Farm to Table Breakfast, Henke Stadium (presented by Holland Dutch Workers 4-H)
10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. — Craft & Farmer’s Market, Large Shelter House, open to everyone (sponsored by Sierra Myers Photography)
10:00 a.m. — Dutch Games, ball field, open to all ages (sponsored by B&B Extermination)
10:00 a.m. — Food booths open
11:00 a.m. — Kiddie Tractor Pull, by the tennis courts (presented by Southridge FFA)
12:45 p.m. — Wiener Dog Race intros, ball field; race begins immediately after the People’s Choice Award (sponsored by Blesch Brothers Equipment)
1:30 p.m. — Magic show, Henke Stadium (partnered with Huntingburg Public Library)
2:00 p.m. — Adult Cornhole Tournament, registration opens 1:00 p.m. on the ball field
2:30–10:00 p.m. — Kids Zone open (sponsored by Dean and MaryBeth Henke)
3:30–6:30 p.m. — The Balloon Guy, food booth area (sponsored by WITZ AM/FM WQKZ)
4:00 p.m. — Wondering Dutchmen Backyard BBQ Awards, Log Cabin
4:00 p.m. — Ice Cream Eating Contest, Henke Stadium — elementary, middle school and adult divisions (sponsored by Prairie Farms Dairy)
5:00 p.m. — Beer garden opens
5:30 p.m. — Kids Cornhole Tournament, partnered with Dubois County 4-H Council (sponsored by Farbest Foods)
7:30–11:30 p.m. — Live music by Happy New Month, Steve & Kathy Henke Main Stage (sponsored by Steve & Kathy Henke & Family)
9:35 p.m. — Fireworks over the lakes (sponsored by Bratco)
9:55 p.m. — Dutch Pot Ticket Drawing / Food Passport Drawing, Main Stage
10:00 p.m. — Food booths close
12:00 a.m. — Beer garden closes

Sunday

10:00 a.m. — Community Church Services, Henke Stadium
11:00 a.m. — Holland American Legion Post 343 Dinners, Henke Stadium