Touch of Dutch promises traditional and new at 2023 festival

DEMOTTE — The annual Touch of Dutch Festival is fast approaching and with comes traditional favorites and new offerings on Saturday, Aug. 12. The day starts with the popular Rotary Ramble, a 5K Walk/Run, sponsored by the DeMotte/KV Rotary Club. Then the parade kicks off at 9 a.m. while the festival begins from 9 a.m. at Spencer Park. This year’s theme it the Fabulous 50s so expect to see some cool clothes and decorations from that decade.

This year, Calvary Assembly of God is offering shuttle service from the church parking lot at S.R. 10 and 700 W (Orchid St.), and from Grace Fellowship parking lot at 1424 8th St SE in DeMotte. There will be parking at the Festival grounds for elderly and handicapped at Millennium Mortgage and Northshore Heath Center in the Plaza Circle as well.

To top off the festival, instead of fireworks, this year the festival will end with an exciting laser light show that will play overhead at the band shell. During the burn ban earlier this summer, a company contacted the DeMotte Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the festival every year, to offer their services. The chamber decided the laser light show would be the best way to go. It is cleaner and not as noisy as fireworks but will still entertain with the music and lights.

New acts will be performing on stage beginning at noon with Quentin Flagg. Flagg performs music from the 50s and 60s including Elvis Presley, Bobby Darin, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and much more. He has been singing and performing since the age of 15. He will be onstage at the band shell from noon to 1:30 p.m.

At 2 p.m., the High Street Band will perform favorites from the 70s through today. They will be onstage until 3:30 p.m.

The Valley Community Players will perform a short play, “The Not-So-Mysterious Disappearance of Cinderella,” from 4 — 4:30 p.m. In the play, Cinderella is reported as missing. The cast of fairy tale creatures will help the detective in her search for Cinderella and what happened to her.

At 5 p.m., the Steel Country Band will take to the stage performing country music until 6:30. Following their performance will be the closing act, The band Mr. Funnyman, which performs with a full band of horns, guitars and drums plus male and female vocalists.

The Laser Light Show begins at dusk, around 9 p.m. to close out the day of festivities. NIPSCO and Jasper County REMC are the sponsors for the show.

Another new event is the 50s Fashion Show. The show will be held in the tent by the tennis courts. The fashion show begins at 1:30 p.m. Fashionistas with 50s style can enter for a prize in the fashion show. Kali Apparel will be judging the outfits with the winner receiving an official Touch of Dutch T-shirt, Dutch Guilder and a $25 gift certificate to Kali Apparel. Go to https://bit.ly/46cVpka for rules and to register for the show.

Also new will be a Dutch baking contest. Have a favorite Dutch recipe? Bring it to the festival for the judges to try and make this an annual event! The baking contest begins at 3:30 p.m. in the tent by the tennis courts. Go to https://bit.ly/445fPtF to see the rules and free registration!

Although the parade is a favorite tradition, this year a new prize will be added for “Best Parade Float.” The parade emcee and judges from McColly Real Estate wanted to bring in more floats to the parade, so they came up with the new award. The parade will follow its usual route from north to south along Halleck Street, from Ace. Hardware to Fieldhouse Ford, beginning at 10 a.m. The highway will be closed to through traffic before the parade. Expect to see the Fabulous 50s theme throughout the parade.

Currently voting is open for the window decorating contest and the Klompen (wooden shoe) decorating contest. To vote, go to the Touch of Dutch Facebook page and choose your favorite shoe by clicking “Like.”

The car show will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guests can view the cars and other vehicles south of the food court, which will be in the parking lot for Spencer Park, where the baseball field is. Registration for the car show will be open from 6 to 9 a.m. The car show is sponsored by Nash Insurance, DQ Grill & Chill, Fritts Custom Finishing and EDP Renewables.

According to Diva Rush, executive director of the DeMotte Chamber of Commerce, the number of food vendors has tripled from last year. The food court will take up the whole parking lot south of the pavilion and band shell. During the festival, there will be no parking in the lot off of Division and Carnation except by vendors and the car show entries. There will be a variety of foods available including Dippin Dots with 30 vendors including local favorites from Boy Scout Troop 167 selling ears of corn; deMotte Christian Schools selling fresh Dutch pastries and baked goods, Boy Scout Troop 157 offering Ollie Bolen, a Dutch donut style fare. Presenting sponsor, Strack & Van Til’s be giving out fresh fruit and water to keep the crowd hydrated and refreshed.

Rich Klompenmaker is returning to the festival. He demonstrates his skills at making the wooden shoes. He will also have Dutch souvenirs to sell during the festival.

Girl Scout Troop 35422 and their families will be helping out at the parking lot around the Plaza Circle. Handicap and elderly will be able to park in the New Millennium Mortgage and Northshore Health Clinic parking lots. The Girl Scouts will also be selling grab-n-go lunches of hotdogs, hamburgers, chips and drinks.

There is something for everyone at this year’s Touch of Dutch Festival. The festival is Aug. 12, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Spencer Park. As stated above, parking will be at Calvary Assembly of God or Grace Fellowship Church and in the plaza circle. Park at one of the churches, and watch the parade and enjoy the festival!

The second photo contest will be held for those taking pictures at the festival.

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