FLOWER FESTIVAL - SELESTAT

Saturday August 10th, 2024

It's been a not-to-be-missed summer event in Alsace since 1929, and there's no reason to miss it in Sélestat in August!

A festive and colourful atmosphere in Sélestat during the Corso Fleuri!

A colourful floral parade by day (6pm) and illuminated by night (10pm) comes to life in the heart of Sélestat, in the streets of the town. The parade features no fewer than 500 musicians, street performers, dancers and folk groups.

During the Corso Fleuri, the dahlia comes in all its shapes and colours. Every year, more than 500,000 dahlias dress the 12 floats in the two parades!

Would you like to discover a festival of colours?

ADMISSION TO THE FLOWER PARADE IS FREE!

char corso fleuri

A floral parade of floats in the heart of Sélestat

The Corso Fleuri shines through the passion of staff and volunteers from associations of all generations, who work behind the scenes for months on end to make this event one of the biggest floral festivals in eastern France!

Putting flowers on the floats is just the final stage in this large-scale project.

Each year, 12 floats will be decorated with flowers based on a specific theme. The 2024 theme is "Place aux Jeux".

A multicoloured floral parade by day (at 6pm) and illuminated at night (at 10pm) comes to life in the streets of Sélestat, to the rhythm of no fewer than 500 musicians, street performers, dancers and folk groups.

A magnificent firework display enchants young and old alike, bringing this magical, unforgettable evening to a close.

Where does this tradition come from?

It dates back to 1927, to the Congrès des Jardins Ouvriers d'Alsace, when the local association organised a procession of flowers featuring fruit and vegetables to promote the creation of small gardens, as the town was renowned for its tradition of market gardening, which continues to this day.

But it was really in 1929, at the instigation of Dr Auguste Bronner, Mayor of Sélestat at the time, that the procession was transformed into the Corso Fleuri!

Each edition of the Corso Fleuri has its own history and anecdotes. Some have been particularly memorable, while others have brought their share of innovations, such as the addition of a theme to the procession in 1954 and the creation of a night procession in 1960.

The dahlia, star of the Corso Fleuri!

Over time, the dahlia became the flower of choice for the parade.

Particularly decorative, this flower was chosen for its many varieties, its exceptional range of colours and shapes, and the size of its easy-to-work flower bud.

The dahlia has played an important role in the history of Sélestat. Each edition of this not-to-be-missed event is a tribute to this flower, without which the Corso would not be what it is today!

That's why this flower comes in all shapes and colours during the Corso Fleuri. No fewer than 500,000 dahlias dress the 12 floats in the two parades every year!