By Eleanor Wilson
Proud Dutch communities from across Melbourne flooded to Akoonah Park on Saturday 18 March for the highly anticipated Holland Festival.
Back for the first time since 2020, about 3500 festival goers piled into the grounds for a sunny day of festivities, which played host to the best in Dutch food, music and entertainment.
The festival was collaboratively organised by the Rotary Clubs of Greater Dandenong and Endeavour Hills, Monash, Belgrave and Casey.
Event manager Paul Rubens said the celebration, which has been bringing Dutch culture to Melbourne for 40 years, exceeded expectations.
“It was a beautiful and wonderful day…the weather did its best to destroy us but it failed,” Mr Rubens said of the hot, windy day.
Dutch music performers included an accordion player, pop music group, Dutch choir and even a flash mob.
On the menu from a selection of dutch food vendors were dutch donuts, called olie bollen, stroopwafers and Dutch mini pancakes, or poffertjes.
Raw herring, kibbeling, rookworst and dutch style fries were other delicacies enjoyed throughout the day, often washed down with a cold bottle of Dutch Heineken beer.
A kids’ carnival with rides, a rock climbing wall and mini golf kept the young ones entertained.
Alongside Rotary volunteers, the festival was helped along by several local sponsors, including John Berends Implements, Schreurs and Sons, Scholten Collins McKissock, Harry’s Clothing and Just Real Estate, as well as international sponsor Holland Bike Tours.
