Jessi Galligan takes helm of Tulip Time
DONALD PROMNITZ Associate Editor
Jessi Galligan is all set to lead her team through Tulip Time in her first year as executive director for Pella Historical Museums , and she ’ s bringing all of her passion for history with her .
Tulip Time has always been a part of her life and for the last five years , she ’ s understudied her predecessor Valerie Van Kooten . The work she did in her previous role as assistant director has been mostly behind the scenes , but now she ’ s up front , working with the volunteers and leaders who make this festival happen – and it ’ s made her appreciate the undertaking that much more .
“ It ’ s pretty impressive to see how much work goes into this , both for my staff here and our steering committee and all the volunteers who make this work happen ,” Galligan said . “ It ’ s just really meaningful to know how important it is to the community that they make it happen every year .”
Galligan was raised on history . Growing up , it was instilled in her while on family vacations , when she would go to see historic sites and museums . She was able to take that passion with her into college when she went to Calvin University in Grand Rapids , Michigan .
And as someone who grew up in Pella , she was always able to appreciate the work that went into preserving the
town ’ s history and celebrating its Dutch heritage .
“ To be doing something that I knew from a young age I was interested in is kind of amazing that I get to do this work – and in a place like Pella where people care so much about their history and heritage to the point where they want to support historical museums in a small town like this – it ’ s just amazing .”
Making matters more interesting is the El Nino weather pattern this year . With an early spring , the 300,000 tulips around Pella have started emerging ahead of schedule , and people can expect an early bloom . However , Galligan says it ’ s nothing to worry about , and could be good for local businesses , as some will come in early to see the tulips and spend their money in Pella .
“ You know , it might not be on May 2 , 3 or 4 , but it ’ s going to be three to four weeks of Bloom in April and leading up to the festival ,” Galligan said . “ And that is an amazing thing for our community in terms of getting visitors to town in a more spread-out way .”
However , Galligan still encourages visitors to come to the festival , and to enjoy the food , the costumes , the performances and the atmosphere of Tulip Time , an event she ’ s come to appreciate now even more than ever .
“ It ’ s so cool to be a part of something so big , and to be in some ways a representative of that to other communities and other people who are coming to see what we have here and what ’ s so special about it ,” she said .
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6 Pella ’ s Tulip Time 2024