Aalsmeer Flower Festival showcases Aalsmeer’s floral history, innovation and beauty
The second edition of the Aalsmeer Flower Festival promises to be an inspiring weekend celebrating all things green and growing, with the bonus of lots of music, food and fun, too. This floral fest takes place on 20 & 21 June 2015, featuring activities at four festive locations throughout Aalsmeer, the thriving centre of the Amsterdam Area’s flower industry.
As the world famous home of FloraHolland, tens of thousands of visitors flock to Aalsmeer each year to experience the excitement of the flower auction in what is the largest auction building in the world. However, during the Flower Festival, Aalsmeer takes its dedication to flowers way beyond the walls of the auction building, showcasing a passion for flowers and plants at four locations throughout the town.
At the Molenplein (Mill Square) in Aalsmeer Centre, visitors can marvel at a plant-and-flower mosaic reproduction of a Vincent van Gogh painting. Created with help from local primary schools, the mosaic is made up of thousands of plants in different colours. The 150-year-old flourmill that lends the square its name is still in working condition and will offer visitors a lovely aerial view of the floral mosaic. In Aalsmeer’s Historic Garden – also in Aalsmeer Centre – visitors will be treated to a peek into future floral trends. Here rose breeders will present their latest creations and the festival’s visitors can enjoy a first look (and sniff) of new breeds of roses not yet available on the market.
Another not-to-miss festival location is Fort Kudelstaart. Part of the UNESCO world heritage-listed Defence Line of Amsterdam (Stelling van Amsterdam), this fort is rarely open to the public. In and around the fort, visitors will find works by artists and photographers focusing on the theme of flowers in art. The yard will host a food court selling edible flowers and organic products. In addition, the fort will feature a ‘groene kamer’ or ‘green room’ showing how plants contribute to health and happiness.
The festival also affords visitors a chance to explore some of Aalsmeer’s floral businesses. The rose nursery Belle Epoque offers a look at its stunning ornamental garden. Visitors can also sit back and enjoy a high tea here, or take photos of themselves in a life-sized picture frame made with flowers. ‘Scented paintings’ will be on display at the International Floral Design School Boerma Instituut, which also hosts demonstrations and workshops all weekend. A vintage shuttle bus service will transport visitors between the four locations, while transport between Aalsmeer Centre and Fort Kudelstaart is possible by water taxi. The festival coincides with the national Open Garden Days weekend (Open Tuinenweekend van KMTP Groei & Bloei). The start point for Open Garden Days in Aalsmeer is the Van Gogh mosaic on the Molenplein in Aalsmeer Centre.
Aalsmeer Flower Festival takes place on Saturday 20 & Sunday 21 June from 11:00 to 17:00. Admittance at all locations is free. For more information, have a look on their website: www.aalsmeerflowerfestival.nl.
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