Bloemencorso Bollenstreek is one of the flower parades in the Netherlands and one of the largest editions of the world. The event takes place in the end of April, The route starts on Saturday in Noordwijk and ends in the city of Haarlem the day after.
The origins of this event took place in the end of the 1940s, just after World War II. When the World War was over the need for parties and socializing was great. Organizing parades began. The procession consisted then of a couple with flower garlands and flower lingers, decorated trucks and handcarts. The local band preceded.
The first flower parade of the bulb region dates back to the year 1947, while it was Willem Warmenhoven, an amaryllis grower from Hillegom, who was the creator of the first adult float in the shape of a whale. On a rickety form a small truck was built and were concealed hyacinths. Hillegom invited Sassenheim and Lisse to cooperate this event, this was set at a large-scale parade and a small corsocomité. The spring parade is closely linked to the spring flower exhibition Keukenhof.
Before the Parade Saturday, the procession draws on Friday Night through the village Noordwijkerhout with a light show. When the route starts in the morning of Saturday, it proceeds as follows: Noordwijk – Voorhout – Sassenheim – Lisse – Hillegom – Bennebroek – Heemstede – Haarlem.
South Holland is a province of the Netherlands with a population of over 3.7 million as of October 2021 and a population density of about 1,373/km2 (3,560/sq mi), making it the country's most populous province and one of the world's most densely populated areas. Situated on the North Sea in the west of the Netherlands, South Holland covers an area of 3,307 km2 (1,277 sq mi), of which 607 km2 (234 sq mi) is water. It borders North Holland to the north, Utrecht and Gelderland to the east, and North Brabant and Zeeland to the south. The provincial capital is the Dutch seat of government The Hague, while its largest city is Rotterdam. The Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta drains through South Holland into the North Sea. Europe's busiest seaport, the Port of Rotterdam, is located in South Holland.
Haarlem is a city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland. Haarlem is situated at the northern edge of the Randstad, one of the most populated metropolitan areas in Europe; it is also part of the Amsterdam metropolitan area. Haarlem had a population of 162,543 in 2021.
Zundert is a municipality and town in the south of the Netherlands bordering Belgium, in the province of North Brabant.
Aalsmeer is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Its name is derived from the Dutch for eel (aal) and lake (meer). Aalsmeer is bordered by the Westeinderplassen lake, the largest open water of the Randstad, and the Ringvaart Canal. The town is located 13 km (8 mi) southwest of Amsterdam.
Hillegom is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Hillegom is part of an area called the Duin- en Bollenstreek. As such, a large portion of the local economy was traditionally geared to the cultivation of bulb flowers.
Katwijk, also spelled Katwyk, is a coastal municipality and town in the province of South Holland, which is situated in the mid-western part of the Netherlands.
Lisse is a town and municipality in the province of South Holland in the Western Netherlands. The municipality, which lies within the Duin- en Bollenstreek, covers an area of 16.05 km2 (6.20 sq mi) of which 0.36 km2 (0.14 sq mi) is water. Its population was 22,982 in 2021. Located within the municipal boundary is also the community De Engel.
Noordwijk is a town and municipality in the west of the Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 74.94 km2 (28.93 sq mi) of which 16.57 km2 (6.40 sq mi) is water and had a population of 44,062 in 2021.
Sassenheim is a town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland.
Voorhout is a village and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The former municipality covered an area of 12.59 km2 of which 0.33 km2 is covered by water, and had a population of 14,792 in 2004. Together with Sassenheim and Warmond, it became part of the Teylingen municipality on January 1, 2006. Voorhout is located in an area called the "Dune and Bulb Region".
Tulip festivals are held in several cities around the world, mostly in North America, usually in cities with a Dutch heritage such as Albany, New York, Ottawa, Ontario; Gatineau, Quebec; Montreal, Quebec; Holland, Michigan; Lehi, Utah; Orange City, Iowa; Pella, Iowa; Mount Vernon, Washington; and Woodburn, Oregon, and in other countries such as New Zealand, Australia, India, and England. The tulips are considered a welcome harbinger of spring, and a tulip festival permits residents to see them at their best advantage. The festivals are also popular tourist attractions. The tulips are displayed throughout the cities. In certain years the peak of tulips does not coincide with the actual festival due to climatic conditions. The biggest and most popular u-pick tulip festival in the world is held at Holland Ridge Farms, in Cream Ridge, New Jersey.
Keukenhof, also known as the Garden of Europe, is one of the world's largest flower gardens, situated in the municipality of Lisse, in the Netherlands. According to the official website, Keukenhof Park covers an area of 32 hectares and approximately 7 million flower bulbs are planted in the gardens annually. Keukenhof is widely known for its tulips, and it also features numerous other flowers, including hyacinths, daffodils, lilies, roses, carnations and irises.
The Leidsevaart is a canal between the cities of Haarlem and Leiden in the Netherlands. It was dug in 1657, making it one of the oldest canals in the Netherlands. It was the major means of transport between Leiden and Haarlem for almost two centuries until the rail connection was established in the 19th century. The original stops along the railway mirrored the toll bridges of the canal.
Bloemencorso means "flower parade", "flower pageant" or "flower procession". In a parade of this kind the floats (praalwagens), cars and boats are magnificently decorated or covered in flowers. This custom goes back as far as the Middle Ages. Each parade has its own character, charm and theme. Many towns and regions in the Netherlands and Belgium hold parades every year.
The Duin- en Bollenstreek is a region in the Western Netherlands, that features coastal dunes and the cultivation of flower bulbs. Situated at the heart of historical Holland nearby the city of Leiden, South Holland, it is bordered by The Hague to the west and Haarlem to the north. The combination of beaches, flower fields, lakes and history makes this area attractive to tourists.
Flower bulb cultivation is an economic activity in the provinces of North Holland, South Holland and Flevoland. The colourful flower fields that have come to symbolise Holland can be seen in these areas around April.
Voetbalvereniging Noordwijk is a Dutch football club founded in 1933, based in Noordwijk. It currently competes in the Tweede Divisie.
Dennis Iliohan is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a striker. He mainly played for ADO Den Haag but also had stints at other Dutch clubs as well as Norwegian side Stabæk.
Corso Vollenhove The Corso is the annual flower parade in Vollenhove. It is one of the largest parades in the Netherlands which traditionally takes place on the last Saturday of August.
Bloemencorso Zundert is the largest flower parade in the world. The parade takes place on the first Sunday of September, in Zundert, Netherlands. The floats are large artworks made of steel wire, cardboard, papier-mâché, and flowers. They are constructed entirely by volunteers. In the Bloemencorso Zundert, only dahlias are used to decorate the floats. Thousands often required to construct one and in total, around 8 million dahlias are needed for the Corso. Of these, around 6 million are cultivated in Zundert. The parade was founded in 1936.