Tulip Parade (1959)

Spalding, Lincolnshire. L/S of a tulip field. Camera pans across the endless rows of different coloured tulips - looks amazing. Several women are seen working in the field. M/S of the women working. Tulips around them are red with yellow rim. High angle M/S of woman's hands as she cuts the flowers. She, then puts them in basket. Top shot of the basket filled with flowers. Women leave the field and a woman wearing long, white dress and a crown joins them. Two women check her dress while the other two pour the flowers into a bigger basket. The woman in white dress is Tulip Queen - queen of the Tulip Time Festival. C/U shot of the Tulip Queen's face as she talks and smiles. M/S of several men working on a huge flower arrangement. They are getting ready for the first major scale flower parade in Great Britain. M/S of the two men, one is holding a drawing and the other is explaining something. The man explaining is Mr Van Driel, Dutch floral artist, called to help organising the parade. C/U shot of the drawing - very pretty flower arrangement with Tulip Queen in the middle. Several shots of women working on the flower arrangements. M/S of a woman decorating a car with different flowers (not only tulips but some roses and carnations are seen). M/S of a woman decorating her fence with tulips. M/S of a man putting up the signs on a pole. Signs read: "Trades Fair" and "Decorated Floats". L/S of procession - Scots Band with bagpipes at the front. Cut to several shots of vehicles carrying huge flower arrangements: tractor and several cars, some totally covered in flowers. M/S of the main arrangement with Tulip Queen in the middle. There are two girls sitting by her side. Fire brigade truck looks interesting. Huge parade looks extraordinary. Masses love it. Note: There are two other films of the same event in CP 182 (1958) and CP 335 (1961) showing how a modest parade grows into magnificent explosion of shapes and colours. FILM ID:91.12 FOR LICENSING ENQUIRIES VISIT http://www.britishpathe.com/