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 2025 Flower Parade will take place on Saturday, April 12.
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.
Construction days of the Flower Parade
Prior to the Flower Parade, hundreds of volunteers put flowers on the floats. In 2025, these so-called 'construction days' or 'setup days' will take place at the new location Jub Holland in Noordwijkerhout for the first time.
During these construction days you can watch how the floats are being built and have a full 'flower parade experience'. In 2025 the construction days take place on the following days:
- Wednesday April 9, 2025
- Thursday April 10, 2025
- Friday April 11, 2025
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 2025 will be announced as soon as possible. See below the route of 2024 for reference:
- 08:00 am • Floats lined up in Noordwijkerhout (Kon. Wilhelminaboulevard)
- 09:13 am • Noordwijk (official starting point at the Picképlein roundabout)
- 11:11 am • Voorhout (Jacoba van Beierenlaan roundabout)
- 11:57 am • Sassenheim grandstand (Rijksstraatweg 52)
- 02:00 pm • Sassenheim (departure after break on Hoofdstraat)
- 02:28 pm • Lisse-Zuid grandstand (Heereweg 466)
- 03:08 pm • Lisse-Binnen grandstand (Heereweg 345)
- 03:22 pm • Lisse centre, Town Hall
- 03:44 pm • Lisse, Keukenhof
- 05:00 pm • Hillegom centre
- 05:14 pm • Hillegom grandstand (Hoofdstraat 18)
- 06:00 pm • Bennebroek
- 07:40 pm • Departure after break at Keukenhof
- 07:57 pm • Heemstede, Groenendaal entrance
- 08:30 pm • Heemstede
- 09:30 pm • Haarlem (Houtplein)
- 22:00 pm • Haarlem Oude Gracht (Raaks)
Please note: fifteen minutes before the Flower Parade, the Friends Parade rides out; a cheerful procession to create some atmosphere in advance. Besides snacks and drinks, programme booklets will also be sold. And if you would like to support the Flower Parade financially, you can buy various extras from the walkers dressed as bulbous flowers.
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 Noordwijkerhout (Friday evening), Noordwijk, Voorhout, Lisse, Hillegom and Sassenheim (within walking distance of our hotel)! A speaker will be present at the stands to tell you more about the parade and the stories behind 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
- More information will follow a.s.a.p.
Check out our activities calendar for a list of all activities in and around the hotel during your stay!
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.
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 2024 - 'Colorful World'
We look back on a fantastic edition of the Flower Parade of the Bloembollenstreek, last Saturday, April 20, 2024. Experience the colorful spectacle through the lens of Van der Valk's 'Colorful World' float and blooming creation; a celebration of life.
Discover why this design is so close to our hearts. As a family business rooted in tradition, Van der Valk is more than just hospitality; it is an experience, a home away from home. Our float, a vibrant oasis of color and life, greeted you with majestic toucans - the symbols of our dedication to quality and service. Their colorful plumage reflects the diversity of our guests and staff, each unique but connected by shared values of hospitality and care. The float formed a lively canvas of encounters, where each color told a story and the warmth of connection and family feeling was palpable.
Many thanks to the organization of the Flower Parade of the Bloembollenstreek and of course the many volunteers who make the Flower Parade possible every year. In particular, we thank our arranger Judith de Frankrijker and the volunteer flower arrangers of V.V. Foreholte, who worked so hard on this beautiful end result.
See you in 2025!
Flower parade 2023 - 'Fantasy World'
We look back on another great edition of the Flower Parade 2023 last Saturday, 22 April. This year, our float 'Fantasy World' symbolised the freedom to dream away and escape reality for a while.
In this positive mix of cheerfulness, strength and energy, surrounded by symbolic 'pipes' that provide 'fuel for real life', you can see exactly what our family business stands for. At Van der Valk, you can escape your daily worries, catch your breath and recharge your batteries for the next day in peaceful surroundings.
Arranger Judith de Frankrijker was able to translate this perfectly into this beautiful end result, of which we, as sponsors of Van der Valk hotel Sassenheim - Leiden, Hotel Haarlem, Hotel Noordwijk and Hotel Schiphol, are enormously proud. What an eye-catcher! Partly thanks to the many fantasy flowers and plants, it became that adventurous world in which fantasy is central. The magical lighting finished it off and also brought the float to life at night, at the entrance to flower city Haarlem, the finale of the Flower Parade.
Many thanks to Judith and of course the many volunteer flower cutters from Football Club Foreholte, who just like last year were responsible for the beautiful decoration of our float and worked extremely hard to make it possible. Fantastic!
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!