Celebrating their
Dutch roots
Residents will don wooden shoes
to scrub the streets and dance



READY TO SCRUB the streets and dance in wooden shoes
were Cedar Grove youngsters (from left) Alyssa and Alex Mentink,
Brittany Teunissen, who will dance as a boy, Sydney Soerens,
Grace Velzke, Dylan Teunissen, Caitlin Soerens and
(in front) 20-month-old Brooke Teunissen,
who will scrub streets for the first time.
Photo by Sam Arendt

By CAROL POMEDAY
Ozaukee Press staff
Posted 7-23-08

The streets will be scrubbed by residents dressed in colorful Dutch costumes and boys and girls in wooden shoes will dance in the streets at the 61st annual Holland Festival in Cedar Grove on Friday and Saturday, July 25 and 26.

Festivities will kick off at 1 p.m Friday with street scrubbers preparing Van Altena Avenue for the traditional Klompen Dansers.

Children can compete in wooden-shoe races at 2 p.m. Local artisans will also begin peddling their wares along Van Altena Avenue at that time.

There will be a variety of free activities in the children’s tent beginning at 2:45 p.m.

Music will be a highlight throughout the festival.

Eternity, a country-and-gospel band in the style of the Oak Ridge Boys and Statler Brothers, will offer its blend of four-part harmony in a family-friendly show from 4:30 to 6:45 p.m. Friday.

At 7 p.m., festival-goers will be treated to the decades-spanning sounds of the John Roehl Orchestra. The group’s show covers everything from the big-band sound to today’s popular tunes.

Saturday’s activities will begin with a 2-mile run/walk and a 10-kilometer run at 8:30 a.m. in Independence Park.

At 9 a.m., the Art Fair on the Green will open next to Memorial Park. The fair features more than 100 artists and craftsmen from throughout the Midwest.

Also starting at 9 a.m. will be the festival’s sixth annual coed volleyball tournament, which will run throughout the day. Prizes will be awarded to the first and second-place teams in each division. The courts are near the water tower.

From 11 a.m. to noon, the Satellite Sports Group will put on a BMX bike stunt show. The group will also perform from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m.

At 1 p.m., residents dressed in Dutch costumes will scrub Main Street in preparation for Klompen dancing.

A parade will follow the dancing.

The University of Wisconsin Summer Marching Band will treat the crowd to a fifth-quarter performance at 3:30 p.m.

From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., the New Revue will perform, followed by Ernie Givens and the White Lies Band playing country and original music until 9 p.m.

Ethnic food will be offered throughout the festival. Dutch worstebroodjes, olie bollen and pea soup will be among the delicacies.

Sieg the Klompenhouwer will carve wooden shoes from 1 to 5:30 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

Rides and amusements will be available both days in Memorial Park.

On Sunday, July 27, a traditional community worship service will be held at 6 p.m. in Memorial Park.