Windmill Island Gardens

In just a few weeks, the annual Art on the Island Gala returns to Windmill Island Gardens where you can enjoy works of art inspired by the gardens created by local West Michigan artists! Stop by the island to enjoy all the artwork, vote for your favorite pieces for a ‘People’s Choice’ award, and if you see a piece of art you love, it will all be for sale, too! This event is free to attend and includes appetizers from local caterers, and a cash bar.

Interested in being an artist? There’s still time! Artwork must be turned in no later than Sunday, September 1 to be included in the gala. Find more details on entering as an artist here: https://shorturl.at/WPGig

Art on the Island is proudly sponsored by Fris Supply Shop in Downtown Holland.🎨

We are less than 2 weeks away from Bark in the Park on Saturday, August 24, and we can’t wait to have a dog-gone good time with all our four-legged friends! On top of a variety of games, giveaways, and more from over 25 vendors, you can also get a free digital downloadable portrait of your pooch! Our friend Carl from Photo Images by Carl will be taking professional portraits of dogs throughout the whole event with a beautiful background! See a sneak peek below with his sweet girl, Cabela, modeling a sample!

We had great weather and a great turnout for our last Books and Blooms children’s activity of the summer! Thank you to all who attended any of the events, the story readers at the Herrick District Library, and to all the local organizations who hosted an activity! We are already looking forward to next summer!☀️📖

The last Books and Blooms children’s activity of the summer is this Monday, August 12 where our friends from the Holland Symphony Orchestra will provide a special edition musical story time, followed by a fun, educational activity led by the Michigan State University Extension! Children can create their very own Living Necklace by learning about plant germination, and taking home their very own plant that they can care for, watch grow, and… wear!

Did you know Windmill Island Gardens is dog friendly? We are! Not only are dogs welcome in the park every day, but we have a whole event coming up, just for them! Join us at Bark in the Park on Saturday, August 24 from 9:30am - 1:00pm for games, treats, giveaways, fun, and so much more! Find over 25 vendors from groomers to trainers to accessories and more to find all the best places in town to bring your pup for whatever they may need! Watch live agility demonstrations, get a free professional pet portrait, win prizes, and have a tail-wagging good time with us! Regular park admission rates apply during Bark in the Park. 🐶

Bark in the Park is proudly presented by Paws In The City and Mapleview Animal Hospital.🐾

This weeks highlighted ‘Living Color’ is green! As the most common color in nature, there are far too many green plants throughout the park to capture them all, but here are just a few! Find plants, trees, bugs, amphibians, and more all through our 36 acre park! And as always, swipe through all the photos to see our chicken of the week enjoying a green treat!

Where have you seen living green in the park?💚🐸🌿🐛

Think that there aren’t any black plants? Think again! This week’s highlighted ‘living color’ is black, and it can be found all throughout the park in black plants, birds, our Friesian horses, and more. And as always, swipe through all the photos to see our chicken of the week enjoying a sweet black snack!

Where have you seen living black in the park?🖤🐜

We are so excited to announce that Bark in the Park at Windmill Island Gardens is back for a second year! Join us on Saturday, August 24 from 9:30 am – 1:00 pm with your furry friends to learn all about the best places in town to bring your pup! Find groomers, trainers, vet offices, accessories, treats, and so much more! Families can even watch LIVE agility demonstrations sponsored by Paws in the City and led by National Agility Competitor and local trainer, Abby Klingberg every half hour throughout the event where you can see a variety of dog sports demonstrated from exciting agility to flipping disc dogs! Dogs can even test their own agility skills with poles and hurdles, too! Enjoy all the fun described and more on Saturday, August 24!

Bark in the Park is proudly presented by Paws In The City and Mapleview Animal Hospital.

This week’s highlighted ‘Living Color’ is yellow! So many yellow flowers, bugs, and birds can be found all throughout the park. Swipe through to see lots of yellow life, and of course, our chicken of the week snacking on some yellow summer squash!

Where have you seen living yellow in the park?💛🌻🐝🌼

We're hiring for the fall! We are looking for part-time help to join our team and help us 'welkom' thousands of visitors into the park and help us show off De Zwaan! Find more details here:https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/cityofholland/jobs/4589622/fall-greeter-windmill-guide?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0V4iZABf8AADe0wgsUNsPGpq0r5bAvraSDsLMqF7SjjSh6XuhRYxI4N6E_aem_EY7G_qQvMWA-musm4VOkkQ

We had beautiful weather for our second annual Chalk the Walk event today! If you weren’t able to make it to Windmill Island Gardens today, here is a sneak peek at what you missed! These chalk drawings and so many more will all remain on display as long as weather permits. Stop by the park to check out the communities creativity during Peak Week next week to enjoy not only the colorful artwork, but thousands of beautiful annual and perennial flowers at their peak bloom, too!

This week’s highlighted color is red! With flowers, berries, bugs, and more, there is so much living red to be found all throughout the park. And as always, click through all the pictures to see our chicken of the week enjoying a red snack!

Where have you seen living red at Windmill Island Gardens?❤️🍓🐞🍅

This Monday, our friends from Holland Board of Public Works will be here for Books and Blooms! Join us at 9:30am for a story time with the Herrick District Library, and after, make a craft and learn about water conservation starting at 10am!

We can’t wait to see you there! 🌸📚

Join the Holland BPW team at Windmill Island Gardens for Books and Blooms from 10am - 12pm on Monday, July 22.

Each Books and Blooms begins with a Story Time hosted by the Herrick District Library at 10:00 am, followed by a fun, educational, and hands-on activity for children from 10:30 am – 12:00 pm.

Come by on the 22nd to learn from Holland BPW staff all about how water is essential to life. Join us to learn about 5 different water conservation tips how you can save water in your everyday life by creating and decorating your own Rain Cloud Mobile to take home. 🌧️

Learn more at https://www.facebook.com/events/962385148893089/962385168893087/?active_tab=about

Come Chalk the Walk with us this Saturday, July 20 from 1pm – 3pm! Artists of all ages are invited to visit Windmill Island Gardens to decorate our walkways with chalk, see vibrantly colored artwork drawn LIVE by artist Hallie LeBlanc of Abundance Mobile Art Studio, and even get some free ice cream from the Holland Polar Patrol! Bring your own chalk, or buy some here, we can’t wait to see what you’ll create! 🎨

It’s orange week! Orange flowers, butterflies, birds, and more can be found all throughout Windmill Island Gardens both on the ground, and in the air. And of course, swipe through all the photos to see our chicken of the week, too!

Where have you seen living orange in the park?🧡

Books and Blooms returns to Windmill Island Gardens this Monday, July 8 with our friends from Holland Parks & Recreation! Join us at 10am for an interactive story time with the Herrick District Library, and stay for a fun, hands-on activity with Holland Recreation where children can plant their very own seeds to take home, and families can enjoy a variety of yard games together!🌼📘

And don’t forget to say hello to our furry and feathered friends, play on the playground, and ride the children’s carousel, too! 🎠 🐓

This week’s featured color is white! Find white flowers, butterflies, swans, and more all throughout the park!

Where have you seen living white at Windmill Island Gardens? 🤍 🦢

Join us on Saturday, July 20 for our second annual Chalk the Walk! Bring your own chalk from home, or buy some here to decorate our walkways all throughout the park, and see artist Hallie LeBlanc of Abundance Mobile Art Studio create vibrant chalk drawings all inspired by our ‘In Living Color’ summer garden theme! And did we mention you can even get some FREE ice cream from 1:00pm-3:00pm from the Polar Patrol? We hope to see you there!🎨🍦

It’s blue week! Although blue is one of the more uncommon colors found in nature, you can still find plenty of it at Windmill Island Gardens in flowers, butterflies, and birds!

Where have you seen living blue in the park?💙

Our all-new Books and Blooms summer children’s series returns on Monday, June 24 with a story time led by Herrick District Library, followed by an activity led by our friends from the Holland Museum! Families are invited to join us on Monday, June 24 at 10am for a story and interactive songs, and then from 10:30am – 12pm, children can create their very own origami ‘klompen’, or wooden shoes, and fill them with flowers made from pipe cleaners, paper, and more to create their own ‘Blooming Shoes’ to take home! After making their shoes, families can enjoy our playground, children’s carousel, visit our horses and chickens, explore the gardens, and more. We hope to see you there!🌼📕

Continuing our color weeks for our ‘In Living Color’ summer garden theme, this week’s highlighted color is purple! Swipe through to see various purple life found all throughout the park, and of course, our chicken of the week!

Where have you seen living purple at Windmill Island Gardens?💜🪻

🎨Attention artists! 🎨

Our annual Art on the Island Gala will be returning on Thursday, September 5, and we want to display YOUR Windmill Island Gardens inspired artwork! Artists over the age of 18 can submit up to 3 pieces to be displayed for sale during the Gala in categories of Plein Air, Photography, and Best of the Rest. First and second place prizes will be awarded to each category along with a People’s Choice vote and a Judge’s Best In Show. All artwork must be inspired by Windmill Island Gardens, with a suggested theme of ‘In Living Color’. For more details, view contest guidelines here: https://shorturl.at/jIbA9

To go along with our ‘In Living Color’ summer garden theme, follow along as we highlight a different color each week, all summer long! Each week, we will share photos taken around the island showing off not only some of our thousands of colorful annual and perennial flowers, but also bugs, birds, and more wildlife that you can find right here at Windmill Island Gardens! And if you swipe to the last photo, you’ll even find our ‘chicken of the week’ as all 10 of our chickens are named after different colors, too!

This week’s color is pink! Where have you seen living pink in the park?🌸🩷