Oak Harbor Sailors go Dutch at Holland Happening

Fifteen Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island Sailors volunteered to help the Oak Harbor community celebrate its 39th annual
“Holland Happening” festival in honor of Whidbey Island’s Dutch pioneers April 25-27.
The event featured vendors from around the area selling traditional Dutch food and goods including klompens (wooden shoes)
as well as the usual fare.
“It takes about 30 volunteers per day for setting up and clean up; there’s a lot of infrastructure to these events. I try to get enough
volunteers so no one is exhausted at the end of their shift,” said Jill Johnson, Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce executive director.
“There was a lot of community support; I’m so grateful and thankful. It’s a little overwhelming to see how generous people are with
their time when you ask for help.”
The Navy was quick to jump in with help for the festival, which was appreciated by the event organizers.
“We sent an email out to the Navy and it became like an all hands on deck kind of thing, which really just helped save the event,” said
Johnson. “We didn’t have any volunteers signed up earlier in the week. I was a little nervous, but it turned out great.”
The local community and visitors had the opportunity to enjoy international dance, a carnival with rides and games and were able to
watch Elmer Veldheer of Holland, Mich., transform a block of wood into a functional klompen.
“I didn’t even plan on coming here, I was just driving by, and decided to get something to eat,” said Electronics Technician 3rd Class (SW)
James Dunaway, of NAS Whidbey Island Ground Electronics Maintenance Department. “As I was walking, I saw all these vendors and I
thought I’d do some shopping. The food has been awesome and there’s a lot of little knick-knacks, some cool stuff.  It’s just nice to see a
bunch of people coming together, people helping people and having fun.”
There was a klompen canal race Sunday sponsored by Deception Pass Tours with approximately 100 competitors. The race went in two
heats with prizes for 1st, 17th, and last place in each heat as well as for the overall best decorated klompen.
The event also held a grand parade with 82 organizations marching downtown along Pioneer Way and Bayshore Drive Saturday morning.
“It’s just a giant volunteer effort that’s spearheaded primarily by the Chamber of Commerce,” said Christon Skinner, parade master of ceremonies.
“We had an exceptional turnout thanks to the weather and the parade is a real hometown parade with everything from the Red Cross to the church
groups to the political types and a few marching bands which makes it nice. It’s not a fancy parade, but it sure is a lot of fun and people enjoy
the hometown nature of it.”