Flower Parade
For many years, Van der Valk hotel Sassenheim - Leiden, together with Hotel Noordwijk and Hotel Schiphol, has been a participant in the Flower Parade of the Bulb Region. Our float is an eye-catcher every year and we are proud to have been a partner of this special organisation for so long.
The Flower Parade will take place in 2023 on Saturday 22 April.
The Flower Parade of the Flower Bulb Region is the only parade to be built using bulbous flowers such as hyacinths, tulips and daffodils. It is not for nothing that the flower parade of the flower bulb region is called the 'Face of Spring', because no other parade can match the unique spring colours and scents that surround it.
The Flower Parade of the Bulb Region provides a spring festival for no less than five days in April. All of the bulb boroughs and the flower city of Haarlem are involved in the parade with a range of parade activities. Do you have a warm heart for the Bloemencorso Bollenstreek?
Construction days of the Flower Parade
Prior to the Flower Parade, hundreds of volunteers put flowers on the floats. These construction days take place at about 500 meters from Hotel Sassenheim-Leiden at indoor tennis plaza De Klinkenberg.
During these construction days you can watch how the floats are being built and have a full 'flower parade experience'. This year the construction days take place on the following days:
- Wednesday April 19, 2023
- Thursday April 20, 2023
- Friday April 21, 2023
Would you like to enjoy this once-a-year Dutch experience? Buy your tickets via the button below!
Flower parade route
The absolute highlight of the Flower Parade is on Saturday, when the parade travels its 42-kilometre route from Noordwijk to Haarlem. The parade consists of around 20 floats and more than 30 flower-decorated luxury and special carriages.
The flower parade route for 2023:
- 09:15 am • Departure from Noordwijk (Kon. Wilhelminaboulevard)
- 11:30 am • Voorhout (Jacoba van Beierenlaan roundabout)
- 12:17 pm • Sassenheim grandstand
- 02:00 pm • Sassenheim (departure after break on Hoofdstraat)
- 02:30 pm • Tulperij grandstand
- 03:15 pm • Lisse centre
- 03:30 pm • Lisse Keukenhof
- 05:00 pm • Hillegom centre
- 06:00 pm • Bennebroek (07:00 pm departure Linnaeueshof)
- 08:30 pm • Heemstede
- 09:30 pm • Haarlem
Grandstands of the Flower Parade
Every year there are various grandstands available at the Flower Parade, for which seats can be reserved. The grandstands are located in Lisse, Hillegom and Sassenheim, near our hotel! A speaker will be present at the tribunes to tell you more about the parade and the floats that pass by. There are toilet facilities and catering at the stands, but it is advisable to reserve your seats in time, as they are very popular!
Other Flower Parade events
- 21 april 2023 • Light Parade
- 23 april 2023 • Float Expo
More information about all the activities organised around the flower parade and the route can be found on the Flower Parade of the Flower Bulb Region website.
Flower parade with hotel
Looking for a hotel during the Flower Parade 2022? Hotel Sassenheim-Leiden is centrally located in the Dutch flower bulb region and the ideal location to spend the night during the Flower Parade weekend. In the days leading up to the parade, you can take a look at the construction days, the location where the floats are put in with flowers is approximately 500 meters from our hotel.
The Flower Parade of the Dutch bulb region will pass by Hotel Sassenheim-Leiden on a stone's throw away. In addition, the parade will have a lunch break (of approximately 1 hour) in Sassenheim, this gives you plenty of time to admire the floats up close again before the parade continues in the direction of Lisse and Haarlem.
The Bulb Region is bustling!
In addition to the Flower Parade, the Flower Bulb Region offers many activities for young and old in the spring. How about a visit to the beautiful flower park Keukenhof? Or cycle along the many flowering bulb fields.
Read more about the versatile activities in the Bulb Region.
Book an overnight stay
Book a hotel room and enjoy luxury and comfort after a day full of activities. You are most welcome with us!
Flower parade 2022 - 'Celebrating memories'
In 2020 and 2021, the Flower Parade was unable to take place due to the covid pandemic. The organisation then arranged several activities that linked the Flower Parade to spring, the period after the winter, when we celebrate to be able to go outside again. Because when it gets light again, the blossoms come out and there is colour in the fields once more.
In 2022, the Flower Parade of the Dutch Bulb region celebrated the 75th edition of this so called Intangible Heritage of Humanity, now recognised by Unesco. Under the title Celebrating Memories, the organisation revived the past 75 years from 20 to 24 April.
The floats that had been ready for the parade since 2020 were supplemented by a number of new floats, which brought a message of hope and joy to the world. With the countless international visitors along the route, we celebrated our fondest memories and wishes for a hopeful future.
Watch the aftermovie and the 'making of...' of our float in the Flower Parade of the Dutch Bulb region here. The float was inserted with flowers by the volunteers of local football club Foreholte.
Flower Parade 2019 - 'Changing World'
The theme of the 72nd edition of Bloemencorso Bollenstreek in 2019 was Changing World. Van der Valk Hotel Sassenheim-Leiden and Van der Valk Hotel Schiphol have joined forces and drove this edition for the third year in a row with a beautiful float.
For Van der Valk, 'Changing World' means: Going Global. Van der Valk spreads its wings, but in a sustainable way, but we will not forget our natural habitat. For the toucan this is the tropical jungle, for Van der Valk this is a warm, cosy environment that feels like HOME for all its guests.
Watch the after movie of our float in the Flower Parade of the Bollenstreek. We thought it was a great experience to participate in the parade!
Flower Parade 2018 - 'Culture'
The theme of the 71st Flower Parade 2018 edition was "Culture". With the float ‘’Young Falcons’’ Van der Valk Hotel Sassenheim-Leiden & Hotel Schiphol chose for representing the Dutch culture. The float especially shows special eating habits of the Dutch culture, such as: herring, typical Dutch croquettes, cheese cubes and of course the applesauce with a cherry! All served by 5 beautiful toucans! Because doesn’t this toucan (the brand mark of Van der Valk) belong a little bit to the Dutch culture? After all, which Dutchman did not eat, sleep or work at least once at Van der Valk? Almost all Dutch people have a connection with this traditional Dutch family business!
Watch the after movie of our Young Falcons float in the Flower Parade of the Bollenstreek. We thought it was a great experience to participate in the parade!