Zundert Flower Parade

Zundert Flower Parade Paints a Town in Dahlias

From bicycles to towering floral sculptures, the Dutch tradition blooms into the world’s largest dahlia parade

ZUNDERT, NETHERLANDS — Each year on the first Sunday of September, the small town of Zundert bursts into colour with the world’s largest dahlia parade, the Bloemencorso Zundert.

What began in 1936 with flower-decorated bicycles in honour of Queen Wilhelmina has grown into a spectacular procession of giant moving floats — some reaching 19 metres long, nine metres high, and 4.5 metres wide. Each float is built by one of the town’s 20 neighbourhoods, using up to eight million dahlias grown locally across 33 hectares of fields.

The work is entirely volunteer-driven. In the final days before the event, residents young and old attach each bloom by hand, in a meticulous process known as prikken en tikken. A children’s parade two weeks later ensures the tradition is passed on to new generations.

Recognised in 2012 as part of the Netherlands’ Intangible Cultural Heritage, the parade now attracts 70,000 visitors annually. Beyond the Sunday spectacle, floats remain on display the following day, with guided “Corsotour” visits to the build tents offering a behind-the-scenes view.

The Zundert Flower Parade is more than artistry in bloom — it is a living symbol of community, heritage, and the extraordinary power of teamwork.