Zundert’s flower parade came into being in 1936 as a celebration of Queen Wilhelimina’s birthday at that time. The first parades were modest as far as size is concerned and mostly consisted of decorated bicycles and a single farmer’s cart. Yet the idea of a flower parade touched a string in the inhabitants.
Zundert’s flower parade is an annual explosion of dahlias. Zundert’s village districts and surrounding church villages are engaged in a severe competition every year to build the finest float to be judged by a professional and independent jury. The entire village joins in, young as well as old, man and woman, worker and manager. The tradition of the parade joins generations, sexes and social classes.
The most important hours of the year in Zundert are those on every first Sunday afternoon of September. Then the flower parade goes through the streets of the village. The jury judges the floats and even during the parade – during the second passage past the huge tribunes in the centre of Zundert – the results are announced and prizes awarded.
2016 - 1st place and 2nd award for 'DANGEROUS TRANSPORT'
Only the winner is allowed to stop and that inevitably results in emotional scenes of participating locals who embrace one another, crying. Being the winner of the flower parade is the ultimate joy that an inhabitant of Zundert can experience in a lifetime.
The parade takes place is simply stunning, and it is difficult to imagine how much effort has been spent to create such beauty. I think it's a great excuse to travel to Holland next year!
More photos of the 2016 event were shot by John DG Photography, and you can watch a video of the entire parade below.
Winner 2012
Winner 2007
Winner 2004
YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/bloemencorsozundert/videos
Based on materials
http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2016/09/corso-zundert-flower-parade-2016/
http://www.buurtschap-tiggelaar.nl
https://www.flickr.com/photos/blenchi/sets/72157673320806976