Annual Dutch Days activities Friday and Saturday in Fulton

FULTON – The 45th annual Dutch Days celebration will return Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout the city’s downtown.

This year’s theme is “Lest We Forget: Dirk Van Leenen – Holocaust Survivor.”

Van Leenen was born in 1940 in the Netherlands, and authored several books on World War II experiences in Holland.

He will speak at noon Friday at Fulton Masonic Lodge, 1014 Fourth St., at 6 p.m. Friday at the EPIC Center, 514 13th Ave; at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday at the Masonic Lodge; and 6 p.m. Sunday at a community church service at Bethel Christian Reformed Church, 1208 Third Ave.

Activities Friday and Saturday include arts and crafts vendors, food and concession stands, and Dutch dancing and costumes. A Dutch treasures display, Hindeloopen painting demonstration and sales, and stippling display will be at the Masonic lodge.

Tours of de Immigrant Windmill, 415 10th Ave., will be available all day Friday and Saturday and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

The Early American Crafters will portray pioneer life all day Friday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Heritage Canyon, 515 N. Fourth St. Admission is $2 for adults and $1 for children, with buildings open and manned by reenactors.

Wooden shoe maker Luke Traver will discuss the art and history of wooden shoe carving at 2:30 p.m. Friday at the Masonic lodge.

Saturday's events include the annual Steve Klooster 5K Memorial Walk, Run which starts at Denny O's, 307 10th Ave. Registration begins at 6:45 a.m., with the kids' fun run at 7:45 a.m. and the 5K at 8 a.m. Awards will be given at 9:30 a.m. Go to shawurl.com/3b5u for more information.

A classic car show will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fourth Street, followed by the Dutch Days parade at 3 p.m. Saturday.

Andresen Nature Center, 409 N. Fourth St., will offer insect-themed activities such as build-and-paint butterfly houses and a butterfly suncatcher craft. The cost is $5 each, while supplies last.

A free shuttle service to Heritage Canyon will be available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, running from the corner of Fourth Street and Ninth Avenue to the canyon. The last pickup will be at 3 p.m. downtown.

Go to cityoffulton.us and click on Tourism or search for Dutch Days and Andresen Nature Center on Facebook for more information. Read this story at saukvalley.com for a complete schedule.