It's a universally known fact that the Netherlands is famous for its flowers. The most prolific flower-related events and festivals may take place in spring, but the good news for horticulture fans is that flower events also take place in the autumn. Other Dutch flower events in autumn include the Zundert Flower Parade and Lichtenvoorde Flower Parade.

In late September each year, the village of Winkel in North Holland puts on a dazzling display of flower sculptures that roll through the village, surrounded by crowds of families with kids, locals and tourists. The Winkel Flower Parade (Bloemencorso Winkel) attracts massive amounts of visitors from far and wide and the bright colours, live music, skilfully adorned flower sculptures and an overall sense of anticipation keep the public in high spirits all day long!

Spectacularly adorned parade floats

When you attend Winkel Flower Parade, you'll be impressed not only by the sheer size and variety of the parade floats, but you're likely to be blown away by the display of amazing skills and original ideas. There are all kinds of animals, buildings, pop culture characters and scenes depicted in flowers, from dragons to the Super Mario Brothers and from Formula 1 cars to Dutch terraced houses.

Many parades come and go in a heartbeat - blink and you'll miss it. The spectacularly adorned parade floats in Winkel, however, make three rounds, so there's plenty of chance to catch a glimpse of everything without feeling like you're missing out! There is a grandstand at Veldwachterspad where spectators have a great view of the parade, but it's advisable to arrive early to save your spot because it fills up very quickly.

After the Flower Parade, the floats are lined up along the main street of the village and lit up for public viewing. What a great opportunity to view all the different flower creations at your own leisurely pace. You might even be lucky enough to meet some of the creators in person.

Prize-winning flower floats in Winkel

For many people attending the Winkel Flower Parade, the prize-giving ceremony is very important. There is a professional jury that gives a review, but your opinion is just as important! Fancy voting for your favourite parade float? That's possible at Winkel Flower Parade. The voting form can be found in the programme booklet, which you can hand in at the blue ballot boxes along the course! At 8pm the awards ceremony takes place.

Winkel Flower Parade programme

The day is scheduled as follows:

• 10am-5pm: Market
• 12pm-1pm: Music performances
• 1pm-4pm: Start of the parade, including the opening speech and the children's parade
• 4pm-8pm: Live music
• 4pm: Party programme kicks off at Café & Zaal Beentjes with band and DJs
• 5pm: Parade floats go on display for the evening
• 8pm: Awards ceremony

Plan your visit to Winkel Flower Parade

The organisers of the festival recommend arriving by public transport or by bicycle because many of the roads are temporarily closed off. If you do plan on driving, though, there are a few areas for designated parking. 

Standard adult tickets cost 7,50 euros until 6pm. After 6pm there's a voluntary cost involved. Check out the Winkel Flower Parade website for more information.