Get a Henna Tattoo at the Street Performer Series from Professional Artist Anna Schierbeek

Holland, MI – August is here and there are just three more chances left to experience the Street Performer Series in Downtown Holland this summer! The Series returns this tomorrow, Thursday, August 3 from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm with henna tattoo artist, Anna Schierbeek! The entire community is invited to experience the sights and sounds as 30 different performing artists and groups from every background perform free for the public in Downtown Holland every Thursday evening through August 17. The Street Performer Series features over 80 rotating performers throughout the summer, including musicians, jugglers, balloon twisters, caricature artists, break dancers, henna tattoo artists, and more. The 2023 Street Performer Series is proudly sponsored by Gentex Corporation.

Professional artist Anna Schierbeek has been participating in the Street Performer Series for nearly 15 years. She was in high school when she first began as a performer, drawing designs with Sharpie markers until her mom her mom got her a henna kit to try instead. Since then, she fell in love with the tradition of henna tattoos and has found a way to mix both traditional and modern designs into her repertoire of temporary tattoo offerings. She also received both her BFA and MFA in drawing from Kendall College of Art and Design. Her artwork work has been shown in Grand Rapids, Chicago, Missouri, and published in Spain.

“I absolutely love all the people I get to meet at the Street Performer Series,” said Schierbeek. “Being a part of the community and giving back with our talents and feeling so supported in return is just such a joy as a performer. I love people and I love drawing, so drawing on people is such a great way for me to connect with everyone! I am truly grateful Downtown Holland still continues this tradition. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else on a Thursday night in the summer!”

Attendees should note that 8th Street will be closed to thru traffic and parking from Columbia Avenue to Pine Avenue from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm on Thursday nights to accommodate the expanded number of street performer locations for the 2023 event. Free public parking for the event is available in the surface lots on 7th and 9th Streets, in the 7th and 9th Street Parking Decks and at the Holland Civic Center Place. And don’t forget that the Series is free to attend, but tipping the performers is customary.

The Downtown Holland Social District is also open during the Street Performer Series, meaning that patrons ages 21+ can purchase alcoholic beverages at one of 14 different participating establishment to enjoy while strolling throughout Downtown Holland during the event. For a list of participating establishments, the social district regulations, and the district boundaries, please visit www.downtownsocialdistrict.com.

Street Performer Series Performer Line-Up for August 3

Aidan Rockwell

Aidan Rockwell is a 17-year-old singer/songwriter from Western Michigan. He has been singing his entire life and started writing songs when he was 12. This March, Aidan was recognized by the Nashville Songwriters Association as "One to Watch". Aiden attends Interlochen Arts Academy in the singer/songwriter program and takes his inspiration from different styles including pop, country, and folk.

Air-Brush Tattoos by Elizabeth

Elizabeth Geurink is a high school teacher by day, who started an airbrush tattoo business to combine her love for being creative with her love of interacting with people! She can airbrush a wide variety of colorful designs on the skin, which is always popular with kids at festivals and events!

Alma’s Splash of Color

Alma Sanchez has been face painting for the past two years at birthday parties, festivals, and community events. She is excited to be making her Street Performer Series debut by face painting on Thursday nights this summer! Alma uses FDA approved paints and glitters.

Caricatures by Britta
Britta Lindemulder has loved to draw since she was a child. She graduated from GVSU with a degree in Illustration and learned how to draw caricatures while working at Michigan’s Adventure. A tattoo artist by day, Britta has been drawing caricatures at the Street Performer Series since 2012.

Delbert Walling and Haley Houtz

Delbert and Haley met when she was just a teenager taking guitar lessons from Delbert. Her vocal talent was evident then, and after college she returned to the area, and they teamed up to create this powerful duo. Delbert and Haley have been playing together for 12 years and perform a variety of genres with powerful vocals and guitar, with unique arrangements.

Doug Marlink
Doug Marlink is a talented banjo player who first began playing banjo in the mid-1970’s. He performs mostly bluegrass and some jazz music on the banjo. He is a street performer regular who can often be found performing both on the streets of Downtown Holland and at the Holland Farmers Market.

GRCC Student Guitar Duo

Justin Buchanan and Taylor Smith are both full time student at Grand Rapids Community College studying music performance on guitar. They met at their first guitar class together at GRCC and decided to form a guitar duo.  This will be their first year performing in the Street Performer Series.

Henna by Anna

Anna Schierbeek is a full-time artist who holds both a BFA and MFA in drawing from Kendall College of Art and Design. While she enjoys working in her studio, she loves to combine her passion for art and meeting people together by drawing henna tattoos, at parties and events, including the Street Performer Series for the last 14 years.

Henna by Jahara
Jahanara Begum has been a Street Performer in Downtown Holland since the beginning of the Street Performer Series. She is a highly skilled and experienced henna artist who uses all natural ingredients that are safe for the skin. Her designs never fail to impress her fans of all ages!

Human Women

Allison Eding and Emily Hanrahan both hold bachelor’s degrees in music and currently attend Western Theological Seminary. They have both been performing for the public for over 10 years, in addition to serving as worship leaders at local churches.

Jake “Michael Jackson” Thompson

Jake Thompson been dancing like Michael Jackson since 2016, ever since seeing being inspired by a video of Jackson performing “Smooth Criminal” live. Jacob has performed at high school talent shows and other special events and is excited to show off his skills at the Series for the third summer in a row.  

Joshua Schmitz

Joshua is a recent high school graduate who started twisting balloons when he was just eight years old.  He looks forward to making his Street Performers Series debut this summer before pursuing a career in the film and media industry.

Lisa Bullis-Dennen

Lisa has been a student and performer of Arab dance for over 20 year and now focuses solely on Egyptian dance styles. Her goal is to present an authentic and emotionally rich experience. Lisa lives part-time in Egypt, immersed in the rich history and culture. Her daily experiences adapting to another way of life show up in her dancing, from the improvisational nature, to connecting with the audience and music.

Kaylie McConnell

Kaylie McConnell is a Street Performer Series regular for the past decade who wows audiences with her electric violin and loop system, which she uses to play everything from classical music to popular hits.  She has over a decade of experience as a classical violinist and began playing the electric violin six years ago. When not performing, she can be found on the softball field or working at GE Aerospace.

Madam Mandala

Madam Mandala, aka Lori Lundell, is an incredible hula hoop performer who captivates audiences with her mesmerizing performances. With her unique blend of skill, grace, and artistry, she brings her signature style and energy to the stage. During her performances, she effortlessly weaves her hula hoop through a series of complex and beautiful movements that showcase her incredible dexterity and control.

Mat Emerick

Dressed as a clown, Mat Emerick evokes great mimes like Charlie Chaplin and Marcel Marceau in his act.  With 40 years of professional experience performing at festivals, schools, libraries, and theatres, he brings smiles to all ages with his comedy and juggling skills.

Matthew Nolen

Matthew is a 22-year-old drummer who is passionate about music. His favorite genres to play are funk, blues, and rock. Growing up, he played drums in multiple churches, marching bands, talent shows.  He currently attends Grand Valley State University and plays drums with the GVSU Pep Band for their basketball games.

Mark Cosgrove

Mark Cosgrove is West Ottawa senior who has been singing since he was just two years old. In addition to singing in his school’s premier choir group, The Vocalaires, he has also performed as the lead in a number of different high school theatre productions.  He also serves as an emcee for assemblies, local talent shows, and high school games. At the Series, he will be performing covers from popular artists from the 60’s to today.

Mike Arnold Music

Mike Arnold first began playing the guitar in college and picked it up again in the early 2000’s as a hobby. He regularly plays 30-40 gigs a year, including bars and restaurants, farmers markets, weddings, and other private events. He plays and sing acoustic guitar covers from the 70s-2000s.

Mike Villar

Mike has been singing and playing guitar since 1978, has been performing in Southwest Michigan for over 12 years with the band Stum Dumb, and Dumber, and has been a part of the Series since 2018. He performs original songs as well covers ranging from easy rock from the 70’s up to current contemporary hits.

Scatterbrain

Dani and Lainey Canan, Shayna Gibson and Charis Snyder are just a few college girls from Zeeland who love making music together and performing for the public! They are excited to be a part of the Street Performer Series for a second year in a row together as a group.

Shawna & Matt Veenstra

Shawna and Matt Veenstra are a dad and daughter duo with experience in musical theatre. With Matt’s additional experience performing pop and rock songs in a cover band, they perform duets and solos together in those genres. Matt is a band teacher at Holland Christian Elementary and Middle Schools, and Shawna is currently working towards a music degree in Music Education with an emphasis on voice.

Stephen Koets

Stephen has been performing his entire life from church praise groups to teaching guitar lessons from home. Music is his hobby and his escape when not working at Bliss Bakery, which he owns with his wife.  Stephen plays a mix of acoustic favorite from artists like Cat Stephens, James Taylor, Tom Petty, and John Mayer.

Steve’s Twisted Balloons

Steve is a dad to two beautiful daughters and the owner of “Steve’s Twisted Balloons.” He started twisting balloons for family and friends at birthday parties just over two years ago.  He is excited to make his return to the Street Performer Series this year!

Suits and Ties

Suits and Ties is a saxophone duet comprised of Evan Talsma and Joshua Bush. They have both been playing the saxophone for over six years and are always looking for ways to bring joy to their audience through music. They mix the unique sound of the saxophone with popular music from well-known artists, movies, TV shows and more that people know and love!

Tarnished Brass

The Tarnished Brass band is a full brass band made up of Randy Bremer, Linda Cole, Bruce Cooke, Steve Huizenga, and Dan Van Malsen. They perform both popular and sacred music regularly at festivals, local churches, and neighborhood care homes throughout Southwest Michigan. They have performed as part of the Street Performer Series since 2016.

The TripleRoot Band

Erik Boehm, Mitch Ware, and Brett Wild are all lifetime musicians, who have performed with various bands over the years. They found each other three years ago, and it was magic from the first day. They feature amazing three-part vocal harmonies while playing Americana songs and hits from the 70's and 80's. They engage the audience and love having fun with them!

The Sound Still

Jessica Herbst and Joseph Ortega are a brother and sister duo who have been playing together since childhood. Joseph plays the piano and guitar and Jessica sings harmony alongside him, while their friend Andy Wix rounds out their sound. They cover popular hits from the 90’s and 2000’s.

Third Class Flynn

Third Class Flynn is an Irish music busking duo, comprised of husband-and-wife Ray and Cindy Veen. Dressed as the characters Michael and Mary Flynn, Irish immigrants from the late 1800's, the Flynn's tell their story through the music of Ireland: folk tunes, dance tunes, pub tunes, laments and more.

Trenton Herald

Performing since he was just 12 years old, Trenton Herald has a heart for bringing joy through music to listeners everywhere. With a simple yet soulful approach, Trenton hopes to put a smile on faces and bring healing to souls from every walk of life.

About Gentex Corporation:

Gentex Corporation is a supplier of automatic-dimming rearview mirrors and electronics to the automotive industry, dimmable aircraft windows for aviation markets, and fire protection products to the fire protection market. The company was founded in Zeeland in 1974 and is Ottawa County’s largest employer.

About Downtown Holland:
Located in the heart of the City of Holland, just minutes from the shores of Lake Michigan and adjacent to the campus of Hope College, Downtown Holland is a premier shopping, dining, and special events destination like none other! Downtown Holland offers over 100 locally owned boutiques, shops, and galleries, along with breweries, cafes, and restaurants for every taste. Downtown Holland is also home to unique cultural attractions, an award-winning farmers market and beautiful parks. We can’t wait to welcome you! For more information and the latest Downtown Holland news and updates, visit us at www.downtownholland.com, follow Downtown Holland on Facebook and Instagram, subscribe to our monthly newsletter, or call 616.796.1210.