Community
Holland
About Holland
Holland was founded by Dutch settlers in 1847 and still wears that heritage, from the 18th-century windmill De Zwaan at Windmill Island Gardens to the Tulip Time festival every May. The city sits on Lake Macatawa a few miles from Lake Michigan and straddles the Ottawa-Allegan county line. Downtown Eighth Street is known for its heated sidewalks, and Hope College sits just south of it. Holland State Park and the red lighthouse locals call Big Red mark the channel to the big lake. Our Holland coverage follows city and school news, Holland, West Ottawa and Holland Christian sports, and things to do from the lakeshore to downtown.
Top things to do in Holland
- Tour Windmill Island Gardens and De Zwaan, a working Dutch windmill.
- Walk downtown Eighth Street, heated sidewalks and all.
- See Big Red, the Holland Harbor Lighthouse, from Holland State Park.
- Learn the city’s Dutch story at the Holland Museum.
- Shop the Holland Farmers Market at the Eighth Street Marketplace in season.
- Watch Hope College basketball at the DeVos Fieldhouse.
Guides
- Things to Do in Grand Haven, Spring Lake and Ferrysburg This Fall (2026 Guide)
- Michigan Halloween Guide 2026: Haunted Houses, Corn Mazes and Trick-or-Treat Events by Region
- All Mitten Daily guides
Nearby on The Mitten Daily
Latest from Holland
News · October 21, 2026
Silver Maple Solar east of Holland: a judge gives RWE a family’s 562-acre farm, and Ottawa County votes Oct. 27 on joining the state case
A judge sided with German developer RWE over a farm family. Next up: an Oct. 29 appeal deadline and a county vote on whether to intervene at the state level.
Community · October 20, 2026
How Holland’s downtown snowmelt works: 190 miles of tubing, power-plant waste heat and no plows on Eighth Street
The city says the system pumps more than 4,700 gallons a minute of 95-degree water and can melt about an inch of snow an hour at 20 degrees.
Community · October 20, 2026
Holland’s RollXscape Skating Center on James Street will close Nov. 14 after its lease ends and the building is sold
The rink, formerly The Rink and Grand Roller Rink, says buying the building isn’t affordable. It is keeping its normal schedule, parties and rentals until the last day.
News · October 20, 2026
Holland BPW takes up a $263,000 Abonmarche contract to engineer replacement of about 1,400 galvanized water lines once tied to lead
The roughly $263,000 engineering contract falls under a $300,000 budget amendment funded by a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund grant the utility received in July.
News · October 20, 2026
Holland-area ballot Nov. 3: Park Township asks for a 0.7-mill parks levy, and seven candidates seek four West Ottawa school board seats
Park Township’s four-year parks millage would rise from 0.6 mill and raise about $1 million in its first year. The Holland Public Schools board race is uncontested.
News · October 20, 2026
Holland’s 1928 People’s State Bank on Eighth Street could become a 42-room boutique hotel with a speakeasy in the vault
Houghton-based Braveworks wants to renovate the downtown landmark and add about 20,000 square feet. A Planning Commission decision is expected in November, and the developer is aiming for Tulip Time 2028.
Sports · October 20, 2026
Holland’s Hope College football cracks the D3football.com Top 10 for the first time, heads to Alma Oct. 24 after a comeback over Adrian
The 6-0 Flying Dutchmen rallied from a 22-7 halftime hole to beat Adrian 24-22 before 5,004 at Smith Stadium. The go-ahead points came on a safety with 5:48 left.
Sports · October 20, 2026
Holland’s Hope College men’s basketball opens at home Nov. 6 vs. Anderson at DeVos Fieldhouse; Calvin rivalry set for Jan. 23 and Feb. 20
Tipoff is 7:30 p.m. Friday against Anderson (Ind.), followed by Franklin on Saturday. The Glenn Van Wieren Classic is Dec. 29-30.
Michigan Travel · October 20, 2026
Holland fall color peaks about Oct. 26-31: climb Mt. Pisgah’s 239 steps for the view over Lake Michigan and Lake Macatawa
Pure Michigan’s forecast put Holland’s peak in the last week of October. The free dune boardwalk near Holland State Park now closes at 8 p.m.
Michigan Travel · October 20, 2026
Holland Farmers Market switches to winter hours Nov. 4: Wednesdays and Saturdays 9-1, then holiday Saturdays Dec. 5, 12 and 19
The regular season ends Oct. 31. The market moves indoors at the Civic Center on Saturdays from January through April, with two skipped dates.
Michigan Travel · October 20, 2026
Holland Halloween week: The Verve Pipe Oct. 23, costume parties Oct. 27 and 30, Rocky Horror Oct. 29 and a Maná tribute fiesta Oct. 31
Downtown’s Park Theatre has something nearly every night of Halloween week, and Hope College Theatre closes “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” Oct. 22-24.