A picnic at Hope College, the sights of Windmill Island and a home football game will be among the features of the 41st annual Community Day, which will be held on Saturday, Sept. 23.
The day is scheduled in celebration of the long-standing relationship between Holland residents and the faculty, students and staff of Hope College.
The picnic will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on campus on the Van Raalte Commons, located in the central campus east of College Avenue and south of 10th Street. Persons purchasing tickets in advance will also receive a free ticket for admission to Windmill Island from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. that day, as well as a ticket for the Hope College football game with Wheaton College of Illinois at 1 p.m. at Holland Municipal Stadium, located on Fairbanks Avenue at 13th Street.
The picnic 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.
The Holland High School marching band will be playing at the game.
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 mayor Nelson Bosman, subsequent Community Days have provided an opportunity for Holland and Hope to come together.
This year's Community Day will feature an additional major college event, the Pull tug-of-war, which will take place at 3 p.m. on the Black River, near U.S. 31 and M-21. The event will feature members of the sophomore Class of 2009 and the freshman Class of 2010. Admission to the Pull is free.
In addition, the gallery of the De Pree Art Center is hosting an exhibition of work by alumni of the department of art from Thursday, Sept. 7, through Thursday, Oct. 5. The gallery is open Sundays and Mondays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The De Pree Art Center is located on Columbia Avenue at 12th Street. Admission to the gallery is free.
Tickets for Community Day, which include the picnic, football game and admission to Windmill Island, cost $7 for regular admission and $4 for children age five to 11, with admission free for children under five.
Advance tickets for Community Day may be purchased at the college's DeVos Fieldhouse, located facing Fairbanks Avenue between Ninth and 11th streets, weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets will also be sold at the picnic on the day of the event. Additional information may be obtained by calling the college's Office of Public and Community 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 Columbia Avenue at 10th Street. 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.