Hey Holland! This week, we’re getting our hands dirty. In a good way.

Worm composting at Herrick. Mushrooms at the market. A free water festival at Kollen Park. Plus an outdoor choir concert, Saturday football, and a movie night downtown. Plenty of reasons to get out of the house before September slips away.

If I haven’t told you lately, thanks for being part of our growing community. We’re so glad you’re here!

Have a great week, everyone!

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💧 Macatawa Water Festival — Saturday, Sept. 26, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. @ Kollen Park, 240 Kollen Park Drive. Free, all ages, and right on the water. Try hands-on activities, learn about Lake Macatawa, and check out the kayaking opportunities. Water experiments and a little fresh air beat another Saturday spent negotiating screen time. 👉 Festival details

🍄 Market School: Become a Mushroom Connoisseur — Saturday, Sept. 26, 10 a.m. @ Holland Civic Center, upstairs Market View room, 150 W. 8th Street. Mycophile’s Garden is teaching mushroom prep, flavor pairings, and ways to actually use those interesting varieties you keep eyeing at the market. Bring your questions. Advance registration recommended; the event page lists $21.99. 👉 Class details & registration

🏈 Hope Football vs. Albion — Saturday, Sept. 26, 1 p.m. @ Ray and Sue Smith Stadium, 313 Fairbanks Avenue. A fall Saturday, a home game, and a reason to wear orange and blue. The Flying Dutchmen take on Albion right here in town. 👉 Game details & ticket link

🚲 Stroll & Roll! — Thursday, Sept. 24, 5–7 p.m. @ Paw Paw Park East, 1230 Paw Paw Drive. Walk, bike, scooter, or bring the stroller along the Macatawa River Greenway. Look for ODC’s birds of prey and reptiles, try the scavenger hunt, and check out Velo Kids’ strider bikes. There’s an ice cream treat in the mix, too. That should help sell the kids on the walk. 👉 Event details

🐾 Knee-high Naturalists — Friday, Sept. 25, 10–11:30 a.m. @ Dragonflies Discovery Preschool, 30 152nd Avenue. Nature activities, stories, crafts, and outdoor exploring for ages 3–6. $10 per child; members receive 20% off. Registration required. A grown-up must stay with 3-year-olds; ages 4–6 can be dropped off. 👉 Details & registration

🌳 Park Passport Open House — Saturday, Sept. 26, 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m. @ Rabbit River Preserve, 4401 135th Avenue, Hamilton. A nearby outing with an animal encounter, some fun swag, and an extra Park Passport stamp. Free, with no registration required. Bring your passport if you have one. 👉 Open house details

🥕 Holland Farmers Market — Wednesday, Sept. 23, and Saturday, Sept. 26, 8 a.m.–2 p.m. @ Eighth Street Marketplace, 150 W. 8th Street. Produce, baked goods, flowers, and the familiar challenge of buying only what you came for. Open rain or shine. 👉 Plan your market visit

This week’s library pick involves some surprisingly productive little roommates.

🪱 Vermicomposting 101 — Wednesday, Sept. 23, 6:30–7:30 p.m. @ Herrick Main Library, 300 S. River Avenue. Ages 18+. Learn how red wiggler worms turn kitchen scraps into compost, what goes into a worm bin, and how to keep it running. If you have houseplants, a garden, or a guilty relationship with the vegetable drawer, this one’s for you. Part of Our Green Holland. 👉 See the details here

🎶 Fall Choir Concert — Friday, Sept. 25, 5:30–7 p.m. @ Hope College’s Pine Grove green space. Start the weekend with live voices and an outdoor campus setting. An early-evening option that still leaves room for dinner afterward. 👉 Concert details

🎸 Every Tuesday — Tuesday Tunes, 6:30–9 p.m. @ New Holland Brewing Co. back patio. Free. 👉 More info

🎤 Every Tuesday — Open Mic Night (PTOM), 8–11:30 p.m. @ Park Theatre. $5. 👉 More info

🥁 Friday & Saturday nights — The usual reliable lineup: live music at Hops at 84 East, Tulip City Bar & Grill, and Itty Bitty Bar, most nights running 6–11 p.m. or later.

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🎬 The Currents — Wednesday–Saturday, Sept. 23–26, 7 p.m. each night @ Knickerbocker Theatre, 86 E. 8th Street. Four chances this week to catch the film downtown. Make dinner plans, put your phone away, and let someone else pick what’s on for once. Adults $9; seniors, Hope staff and faculty $7; Hope students free. 👉 Screening dates & details

Saturday is looking especially good: start at the market, head to the Water Festival, or catch Hope’s home game. Pick your pace. You don’t have to do everything to have a good weekend.

Know about a neighborhood event, a small business doing something cool, or a local story that deserves a little attention? Hit reply and tell me. The best stuff doesn’t always make the big calendars.

And if this helped you make a plan, forward it to a friend. Let’s get more people out enjoying this wonderful city.

See you around town, Holland. 🌷

— Tyler and The Holland Happenings Team