Bloemencorso is a Dutch word that means “flower parade”, “flower procession” or “flower pageant”. It features floats, cars and sometimes even boats decorated with thousands of flowers. Many towns in the Netherlands hold such parades each year. Bloemencorso Vollenhove, also known as Corso Vollenhove, is one of the largest and most famous flower processions in the country.
The Vollenhove flower parade was first held in 1905 as an alternative to the annual fair which often resulted in excessive drinking and associated shenanigans. The procession comprised several farm cars decorated with flowers. The Corso took its present shape in the 1950s and has been one of the largest events in Vollenhove and a major tourist attraction ever since.
The present-day Bloemencorso Vollenhove features about a dozen allegorical floats, each built by a separate team. It takes roughly 100,000 to 300,000 flowers to decorate a float. The most widely used flowers are dahlias, but other kinds of flowers, as well as other ornaments such as cabbage leaves and birdseed, are also allowed. The teams start making floats months before the parade. Some of the floats are several meters high.
The festivities begin a week before the parade. They include the election of Dahlia Queen and Princess Dahlia. The Queen acts as a hostess, gives interviews, opens the parade, and presents the awards to the best floats and marching bands. Princess Dahlia acts as the Queen’s assistant.
Along with the parade itself, Corso Vollenhove features music and dance, games and contests, children’s events, parties, and other entertainment. The flower parade attract thousands of visitors from all over the country and abroad, transforming Vollenhove into a flower capital for a day.
Photo: Hans Leony Geijtenbeek
