The Bloemencorso Bollenstreek is one of the major events in The Netherlands. With around 950,000 visitors lining up along the 42 kilometre festival route, we are the largest spring festival in The Netherlands and maybe even in Europe.

Many hands make light work and that is certainly the case here. Bloemencorso Bollenstreek can count on its almost 1500 volunteers to roll up their sleeves and offer a magnificent parade to our local district, to the Netherlands and seeing the enormous interest from outside our country, to the world.

Of course this cannot happen with just volunteers. The parade may be free to watch, but it costs quite some considerable amount to organise and build.

I am therefore delighted that we have an almost completely new committee for the Foundation Friends of Bloemencorso Bollenstreek. All colourful and dedicated individuals who not only want to offer their free time to help the parade but also intend to put together an interesting programme.

This newsletter is the new committee's first edition. They are enthusiastic and ready to go and all of us on the main committee are delighted with the way this Foundation of Friends and Business Partners is prepared to support the Bloemencorso and assist in making it possible.

Willem Heemskerk

Chairman Bloemencorso Bollenstreek