Brussels’ Flower Carpet returns to Grand Place this summer with tribute to first edition

After an absence of four years due to the pandemic, Brussels’ famous floral carpet will grace the Grand Place from 12 to 15 August.

The return of the popular biannual event was announced by the City of Brussels. “For this big comeback, we have concocted a return to our roots by reinterpreting the design of the very first carpet“, said culture alderwoman Delphine Houba (PS), who also presides over the non-profit flower carpet organisation.

“The Flower Carpet is a must-see event on the cultural and tourist calendar. The City of Brussels is thrilled to see the begonias and dahlias return,” she added.

Marking the 50th anniversary of the project that was launched in 1971, the design has been entrusted to Mexican artist Roo Aguilar Aguado and Koen Vondenbusch, who studied under one of the creators of the first carpet. Together, they’ve spent more than 280 hours recreating the 1971 pattern, adapting the design to modern techniques.

The floral composition (pictured) includes chrysanthemums produced in Flanders, "in order to underline the range of our production of ornamental plants," explained Filip Fontaine, the director of VLAM (the Flemish Office for Agro-Marketing), who is a partner of this edition.

Key summer tourism attraction

As a Unesco world heritage site, the carpet is also an important boost for the capital. “The return of the Flower Carpet puts it back on the agenda as a highlight of summer tourism in Brussels. This event is also a support for the hotel and catering industry and shops in the city centre,” said the city’s economic affairs alderman Fabian Mangain (DéFI).

The pop-up masterpiece will be set up in the medieval square on the morning of August 12 and will be on show until August 15. A highlight of the programme will be the sound and light shows every evening, from 21.00 to 23.00. Tickets for a panoramic view of the carpet from the balcony of the City Hall are on sale online.