The Tulip Queen and Royal Court kicked off their annual performance season at Keenagers at First Reformed Church in Pella Monday.

Queen Juliana Van Gorp and attendants Elise Beukelman, Lexi DeJong, Naomi Tripp, and Tressa Vos performed the show they will give to other communities throughout the state to promote the 83rd Tulip Festival over the next five weeks. Keenagers at First Reformed is the traditional first performance for the program, and this year, featured guests from other churches.

Van Gorp tells KNIA/KRLS News the group has been hard at work rehearsing, and they look forward to sharing a piece of Tulip Time with other communities.

“To promote Tulip Time, we go around to surrounding towns as well as around Pella to give our program and a little insight into some of the foods that are available at Tulip Time and some of the dances and songs you might hear,” she says. “We just go around and promote some of a little sneak peak of what Tulip Time is to entice you to join us.”

Tonight, the Tulip Court will have their first public performance at the Pella Community Center at 7 p.m., which will start five weeks of performances leading up to the 83rd festival May 3rd through the 5th. Hear more from the Tulip Time Royal Court on today’s Let’s Talk Pella.