The day the whole world comes to our street

LocalDutchWays Blog — Sassenheim, Bollenstreek — April 2026

A quick trip to the supermarket at eight in the morning tells you everything you need to know. The streets are already dressed. Lampposts carry three-pronged flag brackets, Dutch flags hanging from each one. Baskets of tulips are fixed to walls and railings. The village has been quietly preparing since before most people were awake.

And already, the first signs of what is coming: a car with a foreign number plate moving slowly through the village. A couple walking towards the centre, looking around as if they are not quite sure what they have arrived into. They are early. They are not from here. And they already know today is something special.

On the way to the children’s parade

We had been in the park the evening before, decorating the boys’ bikes with flowers alongside dozens of other families. This morning, we are heading to the town centre to join the children’s parade, which sets off at 11:00.

Along the way, the gardens tell the story. Party tents in front gardens, a simple table with a folding chair, a small vase of flowers placed just so. People are claiming their spots, setting up for the long day ahead.

Into the centre

By the time we reach the town centre at 11:00, it is already busy. The mix of faces is remarkable. Germany, Spain, India, countries across Latin America, visitors from Africa, from Asia. Every nationality you can think of, all standing in the same street in a small Dutch village, all waiting for the same thing.

Our decorated bikes attract their own audience. People stop us. Smile. Take photos. A family on flower-covered bikes in a flower-covered street is, for them, a complete picture of Holland. We are part of the scenery today, and we do not mind one bit.

The floats arrive

One float after another, each more elaborate than the last. Flower sculptures the size of houses, decorated cars with full floral arrangements, marching bands, vehicles carrying musicians who play as they move. It does not stop.

We happen to live at the exact point where the entire parade pauses for an hour and a half. A scheduled rest stop. And while the parade stands still, the crowd surges forward. Suddenly, people who have been watching from a distance can walk right up to the floats. The selfie sticks come out.

What visitors kept telling us

Throughout the day we spoke to visitors from all over the world. We asked them all the same question: did you also visit the flower fields? The answers came in three versions. Some knew about the fields but could not find a bike to rent. Others did not know where to hire a bike at all. And a third group did not know there was anything beyond the parade itself.

When we told them about LocalDutchWays and handed over a business card, the reaction was immediate. Enthusiasm, genuine interest, questions. The Germans in particular said they would be back, and asked how to sign up for the newsletter.

What this day confirmed

The Flower Parade draws visitors from every corner of the world to a small village in South Holland. Many of them arrive knowing only about the parade itself. The flower fields, the cycling routes, the local producers, the quieter moments between the big events: none of that is on their radar.

That is the gap. And that is exactly where LocalDutchWays fits.

Want to see more photos? Follow us on Instagram: @localdutchways