Festivals and celebrationsEuropeSecular and civic
Bloemencorso Bollenstreek
An annual mid-April parade of flower-covered floats across the Dutch bulb region
Bloemencorso Bollenstreek is a major Dutch floral parade held each mid-April across the bulb district. Local communities craft large floats covered in hyacinths and other blossoms, travelling from Noordwijk to Haarlem.
When is Bloemencorso Bollenstreek kept?
Bloemencorso Bollenstreek is kept every year in mid-April over two days.
Bloemencorso Bollenstreek is one of the largest floral parades in the world, held every mid-April in the Dutch bulb-growing district. Communities construct massive floats covered in spring blossoms such as hyacinths. The procession travels from the coast to Haarlem, celebrating the season alongside the nearby Keukenhof flower exhibition.
Origins after the war
The tradition began shortly after the end of the Second World War, when local communities felt a strong desire to gather and celebrate. The very first bulb district parade occurred in 1947. An amaryllis cultivator from Hillegom named Willem Warmenhoven designed the first full-sized float, constructing a whale shape over an old truck chassis hidden beneath hyacinth flowers. To expand the festivities, Hillegom partnered with nearby Sassenheim and Lisse, establishing an organizing committee to manage a much larger regional procession.
The route across towns
Celebrations begin on Friday evening, when the floats move through the village of Noordwijkerhout for an illuminated night presentation. On Saturday morning, the daytime route officially sets off from Noordwijk. The convoy travels northwards through Voorhout, Sassenheim, Lisse, and Hillegom, before passing through Bennebroek and Heemstede. By late Saturday, the extensive journey reaches its final stop in the historic city of Haarlem, drawing crowds from across the region.
Parades and spring blossoms
Early editions of the event were modest gatherings featuring decorated handcarts, trucks, flower garlands, and local marching bands leading the way. Over time, the festival evolved into one of the largest flower pageants in the world. The event maintains close ties with the Keukenhof spring flower exhibition, highlighting the seasonal blooms cultivated across the bulb fields and showcasing intricate figures covered in fragrant hyacinths.
How Bloemencorso Bollenstreek is kept
The festival opens on Friday evening with an illuminated procession passing through the village of Noordwijkerhout. On Saturday morning, the main parade departs from Noordwijk. Accompanied by local musical bands, intricate floats decorated with hyacinths and flower garlands journey through towns including Voorhout, Sassenheim, Lisse, Hillegom, Bennebroek, and Heemstede. The multi-town procession concludes its journey in the city of Haarlem.
When and where
The event is held annually in the middle of April, opening on a Friday night and running through Saturday during the peak spring blooming season.
The parade takes place across the Bollenstreek, the bulb-growing district of the Netherlands. It winds from coastal Noordwijk through regional towns like Lisse and Hillegom, ending in Haarlem.
Questions people ask about Bloemencorso Bollenstreek
When is Bloemencorso Bollenstreek kept?
Bloemencorso Bollenstreek is kept every year in mid-April over two days.
What is Bloemencorso Bollenstreek?
It is a massive annual Dutch flower parade where large floats adorned with spring flowers, such as hyacinths, travel through the towns of the bulb-growing region.
Which route does the procession follow?
Starting in Noordwijk on Saturday morning, the parade travels through Voorhout, Sassenheim, Lisse, Hillegom, Bennebroek, and Heemstede, ending in Haarlem. Noordwijkerhout hosts a light procession the night before.
How did the tradition start?
It started in 1947 after World War II to bring people together. Flower grower Willem Warmenhoven built the first large float in the shape of a whale using hyacinths.
See also
Sizdah BedarAn open-air picnic holiday concluding the Iranian New Year celebrations
NowruzThe Iranian new year at the March equinox, kept with fire, greenery and picnics
HanamiA Japanese spring custom of gathering under blooming cherry trees to eat, drink, and celebrate the fleeting beauty of th
ImbolcA Gaelic festival heralding spring and honoring Saint Brigid with woven rush crossesGood reading and sources
- Bloemencorso Bollenstreek on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
- Wikidata recordOpen data
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). EveryParampara 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. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-04.
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