Tiel is the largest and most important city in the Betuwe area of Gelderland, which is famous for its fruit production. Orchards in the area produce apples, pears, plums and cherries. The Tiel Fruit Parade was created to celebrate the fruit harvest from the Betuwe area.
The first corso was held on September 23, 1961 in order to promote the area as a fruit growing region. Nine villages located near Tiel took part in the event. The number of participants has grown over the years. Alongside Tiel, participating towns and villages include Buren, Buurmalsen-Tricht, Culemborg, Drumpt, Echteld, Geldermalsen, Ingen, Kerk-Avezaath, West Maas en Waal, Maurik, Neerijnen, Passewaaij, and Zoelen.
Preparations for the event begin about a week before the parade. Schools, businesses and other organizations and institutions create colorful fruit mosaics that are displayed along the canal. On the day of the corso, the jury picks three best mosaics that receive prizes.
Of course, the grand parade is the main highlight of the festival. It features twenty floats decorated with fruit. The parade travels through Tiel on Saturday morning, drawing around 180,000 spectators each year. When the parade its over, the jury evaluates the floats based on a number of criteria and announces the winners.
Winners are announced in two categories: grown-ups and kids. The Kindercorso (Children's Parade) is part of the main parade. It features children aged 4 to 12 who create their own small floats with the help of parents, relatives or neighbors.
After the parade, the floats are displayed in downtown Tiel for two more days, Sunday and Monday.
Photo: Brenda Weegerink
