Bollenstreek Flower Parade: what it is, how it is made and what it means

The Bollenstreek Flower Parade is a large annual procession held in mid-April in the Netherlands. Floats decorated with spring flowers travel from Noordwijk to Haarlem, passing through several towns, with festivities beginning the night before in Noordwijkerhout.

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The parade began in 1947 after World War II.
Floats are decorated with spring flowers like hyacinths and amaryllis.
The route runs from Noordwijk to Haarlem, passing through several towns.
A light show in Noordwijkerhout opens the festivities on Friday night.

What is Bollenstreek Flower Parade?

The Bollenstreek Flower Parade is a moving display of large floats and vehicles covered in spring flowers. The parade travels a set route through towns in the bulb-growing region of the Netherlands. Spectators see creative floral sculptures, often shaped like animals or objects, and decorated trucks and handcarts. The event includes a night-time light show before the main procession.

Where does Bollenstreek Flower Parade come from?

The parade began just after World War II, when people in the bulb region wanted to celebrate and socialize again. The first procession in 1947 included flower garlands, decorated vehicles, and a local band. Willem Warmenhoven, an amaryllis grower from Hillegom, built the first large float, shaped like a whale and covered in hyacinths. Over time, more towns joined, and the event grew into a major spring tradition.

How Bollenstreek Flower Parade is made

The parade is prepared by building floats and decorating them with thousands of spring flowers, especially hyacinths and amaryllis. The route starts on Friday evening with a light show in Noordwijkerhout, then continues Saturday morning from Noordwijk through several towns to Haarlem. Local communities and volunteers help design and assemble the floral displays.

The annual Blumenkorso in Noordwijk (Bloemencorso van de Bollenstreek), the Netherlands, is one of the most famous parades in the world. — The annual Blumenkorso in Noordwijk (Bloemencorso van de Bollenstreek), the Netherlands, is one of the most famous parad. Photo: W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

When and where Bollenstreek Flower Parade is used

The Bollenstreek Flower Parade is held every April, drawing crowds from across the Netherlands and beyond. It marks the height of the spring flower season in the bulb region. The event is a festive occasion for locals and visitors, with music, decorated floats, and community celebrations along the route.

Forms of Bollenstreek Flower Parade

Other notable flower parades in the Netherlands include Bloemencorso Vollenhove and Bloemencorso Zundert, each with its own traditions and styles. The Bollenstreek parade is especially known for its connection to the spring bulb fields and the Keukenhof flower exhibition.

What Bollenstreek Flower Parade means

The parade is a symbol of spring and renewal in the Netherlands, reflecting the region’s long tradition of flower growing. It brings together communities and celebrates local horticulture. The event is closely linked to the Keukenhof exhibition, another highlight of the Dutch flower season.

The flowers of Bollenstreek Flower Parade

HyacinthA spring-blooming bulb with fragrant, colourful flower spikes

March LilyA pink-flowered bulb from South Africa that blooms on bare stems in late summer

AmaryllisA South African bulb with pink or white funnel-shaped blooms on bare stems

Questions people ask about Bollenstreek Flower Parade

Where does the Bollenstreek Flower Parade take place?

The parade travels from Noordwijk to Haarlem in the Netherlands, passing through towns such as Voorhout, Sassenheim, Lisse, Hillegom, Bennebroek, and Heemstede.

When is the Bollenstreek Flower Parade held?

It takes place in mid-April each year, during the peak of the spring flower season in the Netherlands.

What flowers are used in the parade?

Floats are decorated mainly with spring flowers, especially hyacinths and amaryllis, which are grown in the region.

How did the parade start?

The first parade was held in 1947, soon after World War II, as a way for people to celebrate together. It began with simple garlands and floats, growing larger over time.

What does the parade mean to the local community?

The parade is a major spring event that celebrates the region's flower-growing tradition and brings communities together for a festive display.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Bloemencorso Bollenstreek", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Hanami: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Floriculture: James Locke, Public domain, source

Onam: Jiteshgt, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

Day of the Dead: RubeHM, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

March Lily: Discott, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Hyacinth: The wub, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Hanakotoba: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Floristry: Joachimj, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Bloemencorso: Dekraaie, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Zundert Flower Parade: Stichting Bloemencorso Zundert, CC BY 4.0, source

Floral industry: Satin66Flower, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

Bollenstreek Flower Parade