Battle of Flowers

Battle of Flowers (Jersey, Channel Islands)

Second Thursday in August

First held in 1902 as part of the celebration honoring the coronation of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, the Jersey Battle of Flowers takes place on Jersey in the British Channel Islands every August. It begins with a parade of floats covered in flowers, many of which are quite elaborate and take months to prepare. In past years, floats have included a working windmill and large birds made completely out of flowers. Another popular theme is significant events in the island's history, including the 1871 Battle of Jersey. Award-winning floats in 2000 included Shangri-La, Alien Invasion, and Lord of the Rings. In addition, each year there is a special float for Miss Battle, the queen of the event.
Spectators no longer engage in a flower-throwing melee after the parade. These days the first event is the town parade two days before the battle, which exposes the year's exhibits to the public for the first time. Then the "battle" consists of a competition for the finest floats. Finally, a moonlight parade Friday night displays the floats with their illuminations and concludes with a fireworks finale.

CONTACTS:
The Jersey Battle of Flowers (Events) Ltd.
Meadow Bank
St Lawrence, Jersey JE3 1EE United Kingdom
44-15-3473-0178; fax: 44-15-3476-8985
www.battleofflowers.com

SOURCES:
AnnivHol-2000, p. 147
GdWrldFest-1985, p. 98

Celebration days: Aug 11, 2011; Aug 9, 2012; Aug 8, 2013; Aug 14, 2014; Aug 13, 2015

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Battle of Flowers (Vienna, Austria)

Summer

The Battle of Flowers is the culmination of a huge flower festival in the capital city of Vienna, Austria. Hundreds of floats are elaborately decorated with flowers, often to symbolize a particular aspect of Austrian history or culture. Sometimes they re-create entire scenes from Austrian operettas or ballets. The people of Vienna dress up in their best clothes and hats—similar to what Americans do on Easter—to watch the parade, which is reviewed by government officials and the leaders of various cultural organizations.
Similar "Battles of Flowers" are held in other Austrian cities, such as Linz, Salzburg, and Innsbruck. A particularly famous one is held on a lake in south Upper Austria known as the Traun See, where barges and boats, rather than floats, are decorated with flowers.

CONTACTS:
Hans Christian Andersen Festival
Store Klaus 16
Odense N, DK-5270 Denmark
45-36-59-44-464
www.hcandersenfestspil.dk

Celebrated in: Austria