Island Transit alerts riders to Holland Happening parade bus detours Saturday

Island Transit warned Oak Harbor riders to expect bus detours from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday as the Holland Happening Parade moved along Bayshore, blocking service between SE Midway and the parking lot near Ace Hardware. The disruption hit routes 1, 2, 6, 10 and 411W, with the biggest impact on people trying to reach downtown Oak Harbor, Windjammer Park and other Saturday stops tied to the festival weekend.

The timing mattered because parade staging began at 9 a.m. and the parade ran from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. PDT, but transit changes covered a longer window on either side of the procession. That meant commuters heading to work, seniors relying on Saturday service, students with midday plans and families coming into Oak Harbor for the festival all had to build in extra time or make alternate plans. Island Transit said modified Saturday routes could also affect paratransit eligibility, and riders were urged to call ahead to confirm Saturday service areas.

Holland Happening and the International Festival ran April 24 through April 26 in Oak Harbor, turning the city’s waterfront core into the center of a three-day celebration of Dutch heritage and Whidbey Island’s multicultural community. The parade route followed Bayshore from SE Midway to the Ace Hardware parking lot, and organizers limited participation to 80 entries, with one vehicle allowed for each entry. This year’s parade also added new categories for Best Cultural Representation, Most Interactive Entry and Outstanding Performance, a sign that the event has grown beyond a simple march into a community showcase.

The parade was designed to be more accessible too. Organizers said it included no loud sirens, fewer flashing lights, lower music volume and fewer sudden noises. That made the event friendlier for children, older adults and anyone sensitive to noise while still drawing crowds to the route and the street festival at Windjammer Park, 1600 SW Beeksma Drive.

The weekend lineup also included a Dutch Dinner at First Reformed Church on Friday, April 24 at 5 p.m. and a street festival at Windjammer Park on April 25 and 26, with live music, artisan vendors, international food, kids’ activities, face painting, a beer garden, tulip sales and the Klompen Canal Races. Island Transit’s Whidbey schedule, effective March 29, 2026, stayed fare-free, but Saturday travel through Oak Harbor still required careful planning around the parade corridor.