Two of Oak Harbor’s beloved traditions, Holland Happening and Hydros for Heroes, are officially returning this year.

After a lower turnout at last year’s rebranded Whidbey Island Culture Fest, the Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce is returning the spring festival to its original, longtime name — Holland Happening — and traditional late April date.

Chamber Director Eric Marshall, who also serves as a city council member, said resident feedback pointed to the name change and date shift as the cause of declining attendance.

Holland Happening celebrates the Dutch history of the island. Chamber leaders are now working with a variety of cultural groups so their traditions are represented throughout the event. The chamber is also partnering with the First Reformed Church to revive the Dutch community dinner.

“While the Dutch were not the first to settle the area, their influence on Oak Harbor’s development is undeniable,” Marshall said, pointing to Dutch-built landmarks such as the Roller Barn — constructed by Dutchman Otto Van Dyk — along with Auld Holland Inn, Holland Gardens and multiple streets named after early Dutch immigrants..

The 2026 festival will align with the Whidbey Island Marathon, with both events working in partnership to lift community spirit, Marshall said.

To join the Holland Happening planning committee, email events@oakharborchamber.com or call 360-675-3755.

Another returning event, Hydros for Heroes, also has a Dutch connection. The city’s history with hydroplane races goes back to the 1960s when Oak Harbor native named Tom Foresman and his friends built an unlimited hydroplane named “The Dutchman” and tested it in Oak Harbor’s bay.

The September event, which draws crowds to the water to watch, was canceled this year after a professional event organizer bowed out, according to a News-Times story.

Local real estate salesperson Craig McKenzie and Jim Woessner, who’s a real estate agent and council member, brought the races back to Oak Harbor in 2016, which was after a 40-year hiatus. McKenzie envisioned the race as a way to honor men and women who serve in uniform while promoting water sports and funding college scholarships.

The nonprofit organization hosts a professional hydroplane race featuring over 50 regional teams and donates proceeds to local heroes and scholarships.

Woessner said they always intended to hand the event off, hoping to take on a role of financial advocates. But the duo also needed to see if the community wanted it before finding new partners to take over the organization. The community response was perfect confirmation.

“There was obviously quite an outpouring of a desire for that when the announcement came out that we weren’t going to do it,” he said.

The Oak Harbor Yacht Club is now preparing to take on hosting duties. The organization is backed by volunteers with past involvement in the races. Woessner called the transition natural, saying the club views the event as a gift to the community.

The event’s appeal, Woessner explained, is simple.

“I like the smiles, ” he said. “It’s something that I think is universally entertaining.”

He recalled local students describing the races as a sign that summer had arrived. It was a moment that convinced him the event had become a true Oak Harbor tradition, at the same level as the city’s Fourth of July celebrations.

Hydroplane racing runs deep in the community; Woessner himself began racing at 13 for one of the oldest recognized hydroplane racing clubs, the Whidbey Rooster Tails, and many retired champions still call the island home.

“We are really bringing back a tradition that started here in the ‘60s and ‘70s,” he said.

As the Yacht Club prepares to step in, Woessner said new leadership will help the event thrive while he and Craig will remain involved in a lighter role.

“I’m excited that the community felt strong enough about the event that they were willing to fight to bring it back,” Woessner said.