Community Day on the Hope College Campus

A traditional picnic on the Hope College campus, the college’s first home football game on the new artificial turf at Holland Municipal Stadium and the sights of Windmill Island gardens will all be among the features of the 47th annual Hope/Holland Community Day on Saturday, Sept. 1.

The picnic, which runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., will be held on the front lawn of the DeVos Fieldhouse.  Tickets include the picnic and admission to the Hope College football game at 1:30 p.m. with North Park University at Holland Municipal Stadium, which had artificial turf installed during the summer.  Tickets also include admission to Windmill Island Gardens from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. that day.

The picnic will consist of bratwurst, hamburger, sliced turkey breast, vegetarian croissants, salads, chips, cookies, beverages and other picnic fare. The picnic will also feature inflatable fun for kids, door prizes and live music provided throughout by the Holland American Legion Band.

The Holland High School marching band will be playing at the game.

Community Day celebrates the long-standing relationship between Holland residents and the faculty, students and staff of Hope College.  The event debuted in October 1966 as a Community Ox Roast, held in conjunction with the Hope College centennial celebration.  Like the first event, which was the idea of former mayor Nelson Bosman, subsequent Community Days have provided an opportunity for Holland and Hope to come together.

Tickets for Community Day cost $9 for regular admission and $4 for children age five to 11, with admission free for children under five.  Students using their meal plan will need to show their Hope ID.

Tickets may be purchased in advance at the ticket office in the main lobby of the DeVos Fieldhouse, which is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be called at (616) 395-7890.  Tickets will also be sold at the picnic site on the day of the event.  Tickets are not available at Windmill Island Gardens.

In the event of rain, the picnic will be moved to the dining room of Phelps Hall, located on the Hope campus at 154 E. 10th St., along Columbia Avenue. If the picnic is moved inside, announcements will be made online at www.hope.edu and on area radio stations.