The Flower Carpet (French: Tapis de Fleurs; Dutch: Bloementapijt) is a biennial event in Brussels in which volunteers from around Belgium convene at the Grand-Place/Grote Markt, the historic centre of the city, to weave a carpet-like tapestry out of colourful begonias.[1] The event takes place every other August, coordinating with Assumption Day.[2] Nearly a million flowers are required to create the ephemeral 1,800 m2 (19,000 sq ft) carpet.[3]
Flower Carpet | |
---|---|
Status | Active |
Frequency | Biennial |
Location(s) | City of Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region |
Country | Belgium |
Inaugurated | 1971 |
Most recent | August 15, 2022 |
Next event | August 15, 2024 |
The first Flower Carpet was created in 1971 by the Ghent landscape architect Etienne Stautemans in an effort to advertise his work, and due to its popularity, the tradition continued in subsequent years.[4] The Tapis de Fleurs de Bruxelles Association was then created at the initiative of the City of Brussels in cooperation with the Province of Brabant and Les Franc-Bourgeois (a central Brussels traders’ association). The new association laid down the regulations; the event was to be held every two years, for three to four days on the weekend of 15 August and could be enhanced by sound and lighting, fireworks, a jazz concert and other traditional folk entertainments.[5]
Starting in 1986, the event has been regularly held biannually, each time under a different theme, with the Flower Carpet now attracting a large number of local and international visitors.[3]
The tapestry always exhibits tuberous begonias (Begonia tuberosa grandiflora), one of Belgium's major exports since 1860,[6] and occasionally dahlias.[7] More than a hundred volunteers are needed to set up, on a life-size drawing of the transparent and micro-perforated plastic mat, the decoration of grasses and bark where the flowers will be placed, produced on special order by horticulturists in the Ghent region in East Flanders.
Each year of the Flower Carpet, organisers select a theme for inspiration.[2]
50°50′48″N 4°21′9″E / 50.84667°N 4.35250°E