Before the Festival: the Improbable Journey of Holland's Favorite Flower August 3, 2012

If someone asked you to name something Dutch, you might be quick to say tulips. What could be more Dutch? Well, you would be wrong! Although commonly associated with the Netherlands, the tulip actually originated from areas around the Black Sea, such as Turkey and Iran, and didn't make it to the Netherlands until the late 16th century. 'Before the Festival: The Improbable Journey of Holland's Favorite Flower' will explore the origins of the tulip, when it arrived in the Netherlands, and eventually Holland, Michigan, and how it became the Dutch icon as we know it today.