A picnic at Hope College, the sights of Windmill Island, an evening football game and fireworks will be among the features of the 35th annual Community Day, which will be held on Saturday, Sept. 9, in celebration of the long-standing relationship between Holland residents and the faculty, students and staff of Hope.
The picnic will take place on the college's Van
Raalte Commons, located in the middle of campus east of
College Avenue at the former 12th Street, from 4 p.m. to 6
p.m. Persons purchasing picnic tickets in advance will also
receive a ticket for free admission to Windmill Island from
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. that day, as well as a ticket for the Hope
College football game with Valparaiso at Holland Municipal
Stadium at 6:30 p.m. The fireworks will follow the game.
The picnic on campus will consist of bratwurst,
hamburger, sliced turkey breast, vegetarian croissants,
salads, chips, cookies, beverages and other picnic fare.
Live music will be provided throughout the picnic by the
Holland American Legion Band. In addition, a vintage fire
truck will be available for children to ride from 4 p.m. to
6 p.m.
The Holland High School Marching band will be
playing at the game. During the pregame activities at the
stadium, Holland Mayor Al McGeehan will present Hope
President Dr. James Bultman with a proclamation celebrating
the college-community relationship. During halftime of the
football game, there will be drawings for door prizes.
Community Day debuted in October of 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 Holland mayor Nelson Bosman,
subsequent Community Days have provided an opportunity for
Holland and Hope to come together.
The campus will also feature a number of other
activities on Saturday.
The women's soccer team will host Wheaton College
at noon and the men's soccer team will host Spring Arbor
College at 2 p.m. Both games will be played at Buys
Athletic Field, located on Fairbanks Avenue near 12th
Street. Admission is free.
The exhibition "Bernard Maisner: Entrance to the
Scriptorium" will be on display from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the
gallery of the De Pree Art Center, located on Columbia
Avenue at 12th Street. Admission is free.
The Knickerbocker Theatre, located at 86 East 8th
Street, will feature Alfred Hitchock's "Rear Window,"
starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly, at 7 p.m. and 9:15
p.m. Tickets for the film are $5 for regular adult
admission and $4 for senior citizens and students, and will
be available at the door.
Tickets for Community Day, which include the
picnic, football game and admission to Windmill Island, cost
$5.50 for regular adult admission, and $3.50 for children
age five to 11. Admission is free for children under five.
Advance tickets for Community Day may be purchased
beginning on Monday, Aug. 21, at the college's Dow Center,
located on the corner of 13th Street and Columbia Avenue,
from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Additional
information may be obtained by calling the college's Office
of Public Relations at (616) 395-7860.
In the event of rain, the picnic will be moved to
the dining room of Phelps Hall, located on the Hope College
campus on the corner of 10th Street and Columbia Avenue. If
the picnic is moved inside, announcements will be made on
the college's automated audio information system, which can
be called at (616) 395-7888, as well as on area radio
stations.