Tens of thousands watch the spectacular Floating Flower Parade

A floral flotilla sailed through Westland, Midden-Delfland, Schiedam, Vlaardingen, Maassluis, Rijswijk, and historic Delft as part of the Netherlands’ annual Floating Flower Parade.

An estimated half-million spectators enjoyed 60 boats which had been lavishly decorated with more than 450,000 flowers, 120,000 plants and 80,000 fruits and vegetables grown in the Netherland’s most famous horticultural region Westland, and a weekend of tropical weather, at the 24th Floating Flower Parade.

The three-day event took off on Friday, 23 June, with fantastic live music, family events and a parade evolving around the ‘On Stage’ theme.

Rob Baan, chairman of the Floating Flower Parade, hails the 2023 edition of the Floating Flower Parade as a great success. “What a party! With the help and support of so many volunteers ten thousands of people have enjoyed the green pearls in the crown of Westland. We proudly showed what the horticultural region Westland stands for: healthy and beautiful products, plenty of job opportunities and high tech greenhouse horticulture and an international business environment.”

It was the second year that the floral flotilla set off at the end of June instead of the beginning of August.

Adding to the festive mood is the recent recognition by UNESCO, which has awarded the Dutch ‘corsos’ with the intangible cultural heritage status in 2022.

The city of’ s-Gravenzande participated for the first time with a Soldier of Orange vessel -named after the longest-running Dutch musical – won the People Choice Award, recognising the prettiest, most colourful and most spectacular entry. The Hofvilla won the same award in the Children’s Category.

Now in its second year, Blooming Battle, a competition between several floral art schools in the Netherlands, announced Scalda Mbo Goes with their Abba Mamma Mia-themed boat as the winner.