Holland, MI – Families are invited to join the I AM Academy and the Holland Farmers Market this Wednesday, June 18 to celebrate Juneteenth at the Market Kids Activities! The Kids Activities are held at the Holland Farmers Market every Wednesday from 9:30 am – 11:30 am through August 13. The Activities are free to attend and begin with Market Story Time hosted by the Herrick District Library, followed by a fun, educational, and hands-on activity led by a local community partner. The Kids Activities are proudly sponsored by Corewell Health.

This Wednesday, the Herrick District Library will lead the Kids Activities by reading children’s stories about Juneteenth, the federal holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. According to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, slavery officially ended in the United States on January 1, 1863. But it wasn’t until June 19, 1865, when slaves in westernmost Confederate state of Texas officially received the decree that they were free, a day that came to be known as Juneteenth.

Following story time, children can visit different craft stations hosted by the I AM Academy to learn more about Juneteenth. Crafts will include making a paper chain in the colors of the Juneteenth flag, making a beaded bracelet with colors that are significant to the African American community, and designing a freedom quilt with paper squares. The mission of the non-profit I AM Academy is to empower Black and multiracial youth to see their own potential, experience joy, become confident leaders, and drive positive change in our local community. They strive to create opportunities to change the narrative and trajectory for African American adolescents in the community while supporting the development of a more welcoming community for all.

Upcoming Kids Activities

June 25

Holland Museum

Powerful Pollinators

Join the Holland Museum for a fun and interactive exploration of the power of pollinators! Through hands-on activities and creative crafts, discover the important role bees, butterflies, and other pollinators play in our ecosystem. Create your own coffee filter butterfly and participate in a pollination experiment to see these creatures in action!

July 2

ODC Network

The Wild World of Water

Learn all about the importance of water to our local ecosystem with the Outdoor Discovery Center Network! Learn why it’s so important to do your part to keep the water in the Macatawa Watershed clean with a variety of fun activities that include live aquatic insects, fun games, and hands-on crafts!

July 9

Corewell Health 

Safety First!

The injury prevention team from Corewell Health will be here to teach children and parents all about bike and swim safety for the summer. They will have bike helmets on hands so parents and kids can learn how to fit and wear a helmet correctly to stay safe. They’ll also have important educational flyers available on water and car seat safety too!

July 16

Latin Americans United for Progress

Fiesta at the Mercado

Celebrate Fiesta Week in Downtown Holland and join our friends at LAUP for a fun and interactive cultural activity! Enjoy a bilingual story time with Herrick District Library and then learn what fruits and vegetables play an important role in Latin American cuisine and how food can bring different cultures together.

July 23

Holland Parks & Recreation

Get Outdoors!

Holland Recreation will be here with a variety of different yard games and activities to get kids (and their parents) moving! Activities will include corn hole, ladder ball, giant Jenga, and much more. Learn about all the exciting recreation programming Holland Recreation has to offer children and adults in our community too!

July 30

Children’s Advocacy Center

Body Safety

Don’t miss this important activity on body safety for children, hosted by the trained educators from the Children’s Advocacy Center. Learn alongside your child how to help prevent child abuse by making “safe adult" beaded bracelets, getting a “boss of my body" temporary tattoo, and with coloring pages and other resources for parents.

August 6

Holland Symphony Orchestra and Community Action House

Symphony Snacks

Musicians from the Holland Symphony Orchestra will be here to perform a family-friendly mini concert in celebration of their Gift of Music weekend!  Community Action House will also be here sharing ideas for healthy snacks that feature fruits and vegetables from the Market!

August 13

Corewell Health

Sensory Fun

Join our Kids Activity sponsor, Corewell Health, and learn all about your body’s five senses with a variety of fun, hands-on activities. Visit different guessing stations to use your sense of smell and touch, then use your sense of taste and sight to try several new fruits and vegetables together and vote on which ones you like the most!

About Corewell Health:

People are at the heart of everything we do, and the inspiration for our legacy of outstanding outcomes, innovation, strong community partnerships, philanthropy, and transparency. Corewell Health is a not-for-profit health system that provides health care and coverage with an exceptional team of 60,000+ dedicated people—including more than 11,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and more than 15,000 nurses providing care and services in 22 hospitals, 300+ outpatient locations and several post-acute facilities—and Priority Health, a provider-sponsored health plan serving more than 1.2 million members. Through experience and collaboration, we are reimagining a better, more equitable model of health and wellness. For more information, visit corewellhealth.org.

About the Holland Farmers Market:

The Holland Farmers Market is located at 150 West 8th Street at the Eighth Street Market Place in Downtown Holland. During the regular Market season, the Market is open every Wednesday and Saturday from 8:00 am – 2:00 pm, rain or shine. Each season, the Holland Farmers Market brings together over 75 local farmers, specialty food vendors and food trucks, selling fresh fruits and vegetables, bread and baked goods, eggs and meat, honey, maple syrup, jams, gourmet specialty foods, and so much more. Be sure to shop early for the best product assortment! The Market offers free parking and an onsite ATM. Visit Market staff inside the Holland Civic Center Place for information on food assistance programs, including Bridge Cards and Double Up Food Bucks. Animals are prohibited at the Market, so please leave Fido safe at home! Visit the website at www.hollandfarmersmarket.com for additional information. Be sure to follow the Holland Farmers Market on Facebook and Instagram, subscribe to The Market Beet newsletter, or connect with us at info@hollandfarmersrmarket.com or 616.355.1138 for the latest Market updates.