Weekly flower parade to boost Spalding tourism - APRIL FOOL!

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Exciting plans have been announced today to make Spalding Flower Festival a weekly event throughout the summer in a bid to increase the number of visitors to Spalding and South Holland.

Spalding Flower Festival committee have been looking for ways to take the parade forward after recent fears it would be lost forever.

This year's annual parade will take place over a shorter route than in previous years, leading to fears that tourists will not bother to make the journey to see it.

To combat these concerns, and a recorded drop in visitor numbers to Spalding and South Holland over the past decade, the committee has decided that permanent floats will be created which will parade through the streets of Spalding every Saturday between the parade's usual slot of May Bank Holiday weekend and the end of August.

It is hoped this will ensure that more people are able to enjoy the spectacular, which has been a part of Spalding's heritage for the past 50 years.

Spalding Flower Festival Committee spokesman April said: "First, we want to safeguard the flower festival for future generations and try to boost tourism to Spalding and South Holland.

"This is an ambitious project, but we are confident that it will be popular with the people of Spalding and visitors who wish to come here."

As well as the traditional tulips, various flowers will be used depending on what is in bloom.

A permanent festival display will also be set up at Springfields and marching bands and school groups will take part in the parade on a rotating basis.

The council has announced it will introduce a "flower tax" to fund the weekly festival. It will be paid by Spalding and South Holland residents as part of the annual council tax bill and is expected to be just £10 per household.

In exchange all households will be sent a pack of daisy or sweetpea seeds in the hope that residents will use them to brighten up their gardens and help make Spalding the flower capital of western Europe.

Other ideas include a flower bank, where residents can exchange cuttings and seeds.

On days the festival takes place there will be a £2.50 charge to enter the town centre although Spalding and South Holland residents will be exempt and will be issued with tulip rosettes which will allow them to move freely around the town centre.

The committee is also keen to hear from residents who have other ideas of how the flower festival can be improved. Use the contact form below to contact us and we will pass your ideas on.

E-mail tracey@guide2spalding.com