(ORANGE CITY, IA) This weekend Orange City, Iowa is celebrating its Dutch heritage and sharing its Dutch hospitality as part of the 69th annual Tulip Festival. So we found out more about the festival's namesake.

"Every tulip, if it's got the T-U-L-I-P, it's a favorite of mine," says Don Vander Wel.    

Don Vander Wel was born and raised in Orange City and around the Tulip Festival.

"The excitement just keeps building with you and as you age, you age with the festival," says Vander Wel.    

His love for the festival flora led him to create the Vander Wel Tulip Garden 26 years ago.

"Every year there's a new variety, a new type is designed or a new color combination and so you really never have a favorite," says Vander Wel.

Every single variety originates from the parent colors of yellow and red and every favorite flower gets the same feedback.
      
"They stand here and they just go WOW and that's what we like. We like the WOW impact," says Vander Wel.

Orange City puts in the time and effort to plant thousands of bulbs in the fall.

"We estimate over 60,000 tulips in Orange City," says Todd McDonald, Tulip Festival Steering Committee Chair.

"It's just a lot of flowers!" exclaims Mike Bergst, Tulip Festival visitor.
             
And when they blossom, spring has officially arrived.

"We've been fortunate that most years the tulips are blooming just at the right time," says McDonald.

Every third weekend in May, Orange City proudly shares its Dutch traditions.

"It's been that way for 69 years and I'm hoping that we'll go for another 69 years," says Vander Wel.    

The tulip bulbs are imported directly from Holland. This year's most popular: the Giant Orange Sunset. The flower is the festival's biggest with a 9-inch blossom.

Reported by Erika Thomas. You can contact her at ethomas@kmeg.com.