On Ascension Day, Leeuwarden is covered in flowers. The annual flower market then takes place in the city, with a mile-long market with all colors, types and sizes of flowers and plants. It is the longest market in the Netherlands. The entire city is a sea of flowers: a feast for the eyes. Thousands of people travel to the Frisian capital to see the colors and return home packed with plants.
Flower market in the city center
The flower market was previously held in the city center and moved to Langemarktstraat and Tesselschadestraat over the years. The sellers stood just outside the center for more than twenty years. In 2013, the flower market returned to the city center, to:
- Prins Hendrikstraat;
- Wilhelminaplein;
- Equestrian Quarter;
- Western Plantation;
- New way;
- New city;
- Waagplein;
- Wirdumerdijk.
Largest flower market
The Leeuwarder Flower Market on Ascension Day is the largest flower market in the north of the Netherlands. There are more than 120 market stalls in the various streets of the city with a wide range of plants and flowers. They form a ribbon of market stalls of up to two kilometers long. The market is a feast for the eyes because of the beautiful colors of the flowers and is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Flower brand
In Leeuwarden and the surrounding area, the Ascension Market is called Blommenmerke . It has been held since the second half of the twentieth century, but it is not known exactly when the first Flower Market was held.
Tradition
The Flower Market has become a tradition of the city. In this tradition, small traditional customs have arisen, such as hanging your purchased flowers and plants on a stick. The purchased plants are hung on a stick in a plastic bag, which makes transport easy. Others carry the plants in large bags, boxes and even carts.
Tens of thousands
Tens of thousands of plant buyers are moving to the city. They come from the city itself, from the province and from far beyond Friesland enthusiasts travel to the Frisian capital. It is estimated that 30,000 people walk around Leeuwarden because of Bloemetjesmarkt.
Stores
Most shops and terraces in the city are open on the day of the Flower Market on Ascension Day. In addition to the Bloemetjesmarkt, there is also an annual market in the city center.
Ascension Day in Leeuwarden
The Flower Market is on May 25 in 2017 .
May 5, 2016
In 2016, the Flower Market was on a different day than Ascension Day, namely Liberation Day. The Liberation Festival in Leeuwarden also took place on that day. That is why the Bloemetjesmarkt was moved to the site of the WTC Expo in Leeuwarden that year. Another location, just as beautiful and just as much a sea of flowers.
Princess Day and Heaven Festival
Annually in Leeuwarden
Also in Leeuwarden it is:
- National Mini Golf Tournament
- Green Princess Day, an annual celebration for children from 4 to 12 years old in the Prinsentuin
- Heavenly Festival at the Oldehoofsterkerkhof
The Flower Market is held annually on Ascension Day. The city is full of flowers from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Yellow paint
The municipality uses yellow chalk paint to mark the places for the flower market. It presents a small problem.
The chalk paint hardly appears to fade, even after several rain showers. A special company is called in to clean the streets. Questions are even asked about it in the municipal council. Why does the municipality continue to use yellow chalk?
The municipality continues to use the paint because it is not that harmful to the environment. However, Leeuwarden will clean the paint earlier.
Flower brand
Legend
A . Ruiterskwartier
B . Prins Hendrikstraat
C . Wester Plantation
E . Nieuwestad
F . Wilhelminaplein
G . Wirdumerdijk
H . Waagplein
I . WTC Expo
read more
- Leeuwarder Courant – Daily newspaper of the province of Friesland
- Leeuwarden – Fries StraatFestival
- Leeuwarden in the final of the 2018 Cultural Capital and winner
- Heavenly Festival in Leeuwarden at the Oldehove