After cancelled edition, Flower Carpet to return this summer

Brussels Flower Carpet will return to the Grand Place this August after being cancelled last year due to the coronavirus crisis. Details have yet to be released on the artist or the design for this year.

The Flower Carpet is a biennial event that sees the surface of the Grand Place covered with a beautiful design made entirely of flowers. The carpet is in place for just a few days during the Assumption period.

The design is always based on the culture of a country or region, with a local artist asked to design and lead the creation of the image. The last carpet was in 2018 and was dedicated to the Mexican town of Uriangato and its history of colourful street carpets made of flowers and sawdust.

The Flower Carpet is known for being the most-photographed event in the capital. Held every other year, the 2020 edition had to be cancelled because of measures to slow the spread of Covid-19.

While the Flower Carpet organisation has not made an official announcement, Brussels-City councillor in charge of culture, Delphine Houba (PS) said that the carpet would return in August. The carpet is usually open for visitors to freely pass by when they want, but organisers are considering creating a walking circuit to prevent a build-up of crowds.

“As we are relaxing measures very gradually, we should work to prevent a flood of people from entering the square,” she told the city council yesterday. “Everything depends on the measures that are in place at the time.”

Photo: Brussels’ 2018 Flower Carpet
©Gaston Batistini/Brussels Flower Carpet