The Zeeland City Council and staff got into the “Gone Country” spirit at Saturday’s parade. Pictured from left are City Attorney Jim Donkersloot, Councilman Andrew Bult, Mayor Rick Van Dorp, Councilwoman Amy Langeland, Councilwoman Mary Beth Timmer, Councilman Phung Lam (in front), Councilwoman Rebecca Perkins, Mayor Pro Tem Sally Gruppen and Interim City Manager Kevin Plockmeyer.
Photo courtesy Zeeland Festivals
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
City Council members dressed in flannel and denim.
Art pieces featuring cowboys and horses.
Floats being pulled by vintage tractors.
All that and more could be found Saturday in downtown Zeeland as the city’s three-day Pumpkinfest celebration - themed “Gone Country” - came to an end.
“We are incredibly grateful for our community's ongoing support and look forward to next year's celebration,” Pumpkinfest organizer Lynette Lam said.
Several thousand people lined the streets of downtown for the annual Pumpkinfest parade, with the leadoff entry being a pumpkin-lined float featuring employees of Request Foods and their families, being pulled by a 1965 Allis-Chalmers tractor owned by Jon Koomen of Zeeland.
Classic cars along the parade route were decorated in orange or with small pumpkins, with one convertible being covered in a giant cowboy hat.
A group of nearly two dozen students from Germany who are visiting Zeeland as part of an exchange program with Zeeland East High School walked in the parade, dressed in country attire, and waved at spectators along the route.
With Election Day less than a month away, this year’s parade featured candidates running for local, state and federal offices. U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, a Zeeland native, handed out candy along the parade route, and not far behind him, also handing out candy and shaking hands with spectators, was his Democratic challenger in next month’s election, State Sen. Sean McCann of Kalamazoo.
“Pumpkinfest is a great Zeeland tradition, and it was wonderful to spend the afternoon with so many families, neighbors, and volunteers,” McCann said in a statement from his campaign.
After a rainy start to Pumpkinfest on Thursday, skies brightened on Friday, and folks turned out for everything from a kiddie tractor pull to line dancing and cider and donuts. Saturday featured live music from the Zeeland Community Band in the morning, a mechanical bull and inflatables for the kids, and a pie-eating contest that saw 10 entire pies consumed.
The festival concluded Saturday evening with live music from the band Pretty Rage at the entertainment tent that was set up in the south parking lot downtown.
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
City Council members dressed in flannel and denim.
Art pieces featuring cowboys and horses.
Floats being pulled by vintage tractors.
All that and more could be found Saturday in downtown Zeeland as the city’s three-day Pumpkinfest celebration - themed “Gone Country” - came to an end.
“We are incredibly grateful for our community's ongoing support and look forward to next year's celebration,” Pumpkinfest organizer Lynette Lam said.
Several thousand people lined the streets of downtown for the annual Pumpkinfest parade, with the leadoff entry being a pumpkin-lined float featuring employees of Request Foods and their families, being pulled by a 1965 Allis-Chalmers tractor owned by Jon Koomen of Zeeland.
Classic cars along the parade route were decorated in orange or with small pumpkins, with one convertible being covered in a giant cowboy hat.
A group of nearly two dozen students from Germany who are visiting Zeeland as part of an exchange program with Zeeland East High School walked in the parade, dressed in country attire, and waved at spectators along the route.
With Election Day less than a month away, this year’s parade featured candidates running for local, state and federal offices. U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, a Zeeland native, handed out candy along the parade route, and not far behind him, also handing out candy and shaking hands with spectators, was his Democratic challenger in next month’s election, State Sen. Sean McCann of Kalamazoo.
“Pumpkinfest is a great Zeeland tradition, and it was wonderful to spend the afternoon with so many families, neighbors, and volunteers,” McCann said in a statement from his campaign.
After a rainy start to Pumpkinfest on Thursday, skies brightened on Friday, and folks turned out for everything from a kiddie tractor pull to line dancing and cider and donuts. Saturday featured live music from the Zeeland Community Band in the morning, a mechanical bull and inflatables for the kids, and a pie-eating contest that saw 10 entire pies consumed.
The festival concluded Saturday evening with live music from the band Pretty Rage at the entertainment tent that was set up in the south parking lot downtown.
A 1965 Allis-Chalmers tractor pulls a float from Request Foods as the lead entry in last Saturday’s Pumpkinfest parade.
Grayson Olmstead, 8, a second-grader at Lincoln Elementary School, poses with a wooden horse that was one of the art pieces for this year’s festival.
Michelle Tingey (left), of Holland, and Erin Barkel (right), of Zeeland, dressed in matching pumpkin-themed sweaters.
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