The 2024 Flower Carpet awaits on the Grand-Place in Brussels

The 23^rd edition of the Flower Carpet is finally here on the Grand-Place in Brussels. This is the first time that Street Art and dahlias will take over this emblematic site in the capital for three days. Visitors to the Grand-Place will be treated to a sound and light show every day from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.

"Without wanting to throw roses at it, the Tapis de Fleurs is once again sublimating the Grand-Place with its thousands of dahlias. As streetwise as it is surrealist, this ephemeral masterpiece promises unforgettable memories. From 15 to 18 August, don't miss this Garden of Eden in the heart of Brussels", says the alderwoman for Culture, Tourism and Major Events of the City of Brussels, President of the npo Brussels’ Flower Carpet, which is organising the event.

"The Flower Carpet is an institution that has managed to maintain a fine balance between tradition and modernity to become a not-to-be-missed summer event, contributing to the city's influence and dynamism", says the alderman for economic affairs at the City of Brussels.

"We are extremely proud of this new edition. Working with dahlias and using a Street Art design meant we had to adapt quite a bit compared with previous editions, but the result far exceeded our expectations", reveals Richard Poncin, administrator of the npo Brussels’ Flower Carpet.

A Belgian artist at the helm

This year, the Flower Carpet was designed by Océane Cornille, a street artist from Liège who goes by the pseudonym 'Whoups'. She composes graphic poems using the movement of plants as a metaphor for human themes. She found it quite moving to see her drawing on the Grand-Place in Brussels today: "In my artistic approach, I draw inspiration from the concept of the plant rhizome to express the complexity and interconnectedness of Brussels. The lines in my work represent the rhizome of plants, but are also a metaphor for the urban rhizome, where neighbourhoods converge and diverge in a complex and dynamic network. My drawings usually come to life on walls, but today my project has come to life in 3D and on the most beautiful square in Belgium. It's a real honour for me", the young artist explains.

Under the banner of change

Rhizome, the 2024 motif for the Flower Carpet, is a real innovation on several levels, but still respects the tradition.

Historically, the Grand-Place Flower Carpet was mainly composed of begonias. This year, splendid Campine dahlias take centre stage. The organisers of the Brussels Flower Carpet opted for those of the Loenhout Floral Parade, which had already supplied the dahlias needed for the 2022 edition.

Today, more than 80% (1,300 m2) of the gigantic 1,680 m2 carpet will be made up of different colours and varieties of fresh dahlias. Grown in Belgium, the dahlia is both a robust and decorative flower, with millions of them used on the floats at the Loenhout floral parade. The dahlia flowers offer a palette of multiple colours that will ensure the design for the 2024 edition dazzles in spectacular fashion.

Practical information

Programme:

Official opening with the sound and light show: 15 August, around 10 p.m.
Visit to the balcony of the Town Hall:
- 15 August, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. (last admission: 5.30 p.m.)
- 16 to 18 August, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (last admission: 9.30 p.m.)
- Sound and light show: from 15 to 18 August, 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. (every 30 minutes)

Tickets:

Panoramic view of the flower carpet from the balcony of the Town Hall:

Individual tickets:

On sale at the entrance of the Town Hall on the day of your visit (standard access) - €8,00 per ticket
Free for children under 10 years of age
Admission by time slot

Group ticket (minimum 10 people):