Pella —
To the editor,
The 2011 Tulip Queen and her court wore costumes typical of Volendam, in the province of North Holland. Beautiful, weren’t they? Aren’t they always? Many thanks, every year, to Jacki Craver and Phyllis Zylstra for their thorough research and handiwork in making the Royal Court absolute knock-outs. Dutch and non-Dutch alike throughout our community take pride in their representation of all of us, and I know they take pride in representing all of us.
Would Tulip Time be the same if the Queen and Court were not in Dutch costumes? The idea’s ridiculous, of course.
Thank goodness they do. Thank goodness and thank your Dutch pocketbooks, for what would Tulip Time be without Dutch costumes? Who would come to Pella to enjoy the Dutch heritage if the heritage were no longer evident? You never see the Past Queens float participants without costumes, and don’t they look lovely? Would we think they were lovely if they weren’t costumed?
Why, then, do float participants in many cases “get away with” wearing whatever they choose?
Almost every child in Pella between the ages of kindergarten and fifth grade owns a Dutch costume to march in the parades. Why then, can they not wear that same costume when they are float participants? Isn’t riding a float a privilege? Why can’t a costume be a condition of riding a float?
Let’s face it, a float in a Dutch-themed parade with participants not in costume just doesn’t cut it. It’s easy to say “Oh well!” now and then, but this year particularly visitors were asking their hosts or other Pella residents why that happens, and frankly, there just was no good answer.
PS: I totally understand walking the entire parade route in a good, dark-colored walking shoe that more or less goes with the costume, instead of wooden shoes...but Crocs?
Marty Racheter
Pella
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