Historic Dutch windmills light up Netherlands' sky

Sept. 5 (UPI) -- People in the small Dutch village of Kinderdijk celebrated "Illumination Week" on Thursday by illuminating the Netherlands' iconic windmills starting at dusk.

The 50-plus-year tradition celebrates windmills in the small Dutch village that were used in the 18th century to draw water and reclaim the land for agricultural use.

The event draws thousands of visitors from all over the world, according to the Kinderdijk website. "For over 700 years, the dikes, windmills and pumping stations of Kinderdijk have kept our feet dry," it said.

The town has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1997.

Locals highlight the event by showing tourists how residents have lived with water for more than 750 years and they keep their countryside livable by coexisting with water, working with it and organizing around it.

The festival seeks to show visitors "how mills, millers, nature and the traditional Dutch landscape move with the times," the Kinderdijk website said. "And how the rest of the Netherlands and the world can learn from innovative water management."

Area locals have turned the festival into an economic opportunity event, selling tickets to cruises, viewings and other events.

"Kinderdijk shows you how the Dutch have been living, struggling and working with the water that defines our country," it said.