The 49th edition of the Battaglia dei Fiori takes place June 18 and 19, 2011, in Ventimiglia (Imperia), Italy.

A parade of floats covered with flowers, accompanied by bands and folkloristic groups, is the centerpiece of the celebration (last year’s first-prize winner is pictured, at left). The parade steps off at 10:45 a.m. June 19.

The cultural roots of the Battaglia dei Fiori are buried in the traditional rites dedicated to the awakening of nature and in the carnival parades of the Italian Riviera and of Provence, in France, in the 18th century.

Ventimiglia’s parade grew in size and importance after World War II. Floats of considerable dimensions (up to 8 meters x 4 meters), with three-dimensional subjects pertaining the year’s theme, are decorated with flowers petals, fixed one by one to the structure, as in a mosaic. In a surface of one square meter, there can be as many as 1000 flowers. For an entire float, one needs about 120,000 petals.

During the festival, Road Trips Gardeners, a “battle” takes place between float participants and parade watchers, with flowers as the missiles. This “fight” is encouraged by the music from the marching bands.