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A parade in the Netherlands celebrates Vincent van Gogh with giant floats made of flowers

If you've not yet heard of Corso Zundert, it's a legendary parade of giant floats, adorned with thousands of dahlia flowers, that makes its way through the streets of Zundert, Netherlands.

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All images courtesy of [Corso Zundert](http://www.corsozundert.nl/)

All images courtesy of Corso Zundert

This year, the theme was to celebrate the life and work of Vincent van Gogh who was born in the same town 162 years ago.

Nineteen teams took inspiration from the famous artist by creating towering sculptural floats with the colours, motifs and imagery of his signature style, including several interpretations of Van Gogh's self-portraits.

Launched in 1936, the annual parade celebrates the region’s reputation as a global supplier of dahlia flowers, an area now covering 33 hectares of 600,000 dahlia bulbs in fifty different species.

As you can imagine, the first Corso Zundert parades were modest compared to today's event, featuring horse-drawn carts or bicycles covered in flowers. But over the years, it has grown dramatically, exploding into an impressive show that draws thousands. Here are just a few snippets for you to enjoy.

Giant dahlia float depicting a red and yellow profile portrait inspired by Van Gogh's self-portraits at Corso Zundert parade in Zundert, Netherlands
A man emerges from within a giant flower-covered float at Corso Zundert, surrounded by thousands of colourful dahlias in shades of yellow, orange and red
Giant Corso Zundert parade float made of thousands of dahlia flowers in red, yellow and orange tones, with green foliage base, surrounded by spectators
Giant dahlia flower float depicting a roaring lion's head in yellow and burgundy at Corso Zundert parade in Zundert, Netherlands
Giant magenta dahlia float depicting a reclining figure with yellow flowers, at Corso Zundert parade in Zundert, Netherlands, with spectators and historic buildings in background
Giant red dahlia float towering above crowds lining the street during the Corso Zundert parade in Zundert, Netherlands
Giant purple dahlia-covered float depicting a Van Gogh-inspired face towers over crowds at Corso Zundert parade in Zundert, Netherlands
Giant red dahlia float depicting Vincent van Gogh's bearded self-portrait at Corso Zundert parade in Netherlands, surrounded by crowds and flower decorations
A giant portrait head made entirely of coloured dahlias dominates a street at Corso Zundert parade, surrounded by crowds of spectators and a historic building in the background
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