There will be no parades this spring at the 86th Tulip Time — often considered a stable of the annual festival in early May.

Executive Director of Pella Historical Society and Museums Valerie Van Kooten says the final call was made after hours of difficult deliberation by the Tulip Time Steering Committee, and needed to be made this far in advance to allow planning for alternatives to be reasonable.

Van Kooten says one way organizers are still working to bring Dutch experiences throughout downtown Pella during the festival weekend May 6-8 is via impromptu “pop up” group performances: the 2021 Queen and Court; heritage groups like the Dutchesses, Dutch Family Singers, Strolling Strings and local school bands will be “roaming” and performing for smaller, more socially distant audiences.

Van Kooten says by removing the parades this year, food vendors will be able to spread out to ease visitor concentration during high-demand times, and additional capacity controls can be applied where possible.

Pella Historical Society and Museums has been the sponsor of Tulip Time in collaboration with the City of Pella and its citizens since 1936. Van Kooten says everyone has gotten used to social distancing and wearing masks over the past year and will need to adhere to these practices during the festival. “We want to celebrate this spring festival and enjoy what Tulip Time has to offer,” she says. “But there are realities about what we can do this year.”