“At the FTD/Interflora/Fleurop World Cup design competition, the world awaits a winner.”
Every four to six years, the eyes of the international floral community focus on one extraordinary occasion – the Interflora World Cup, the world’s most prestigious event for the floral industry. From March 1-3, 2019, FTD will host this premier competition in the United States for the first time since 1985, and this year, the competition is named FTD World Cup 2019, in recognition of the host organization.
Twenty-three of the world’s best floral designers will converge on Philadelphia, Pa., during the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show, to compete for the coveted title of Interflora World Champion. The Philadelphia Flower Show, the location of the nation’s first flower show in 1829, is also the largest and most prestigious show in the U.S., attracting more than 250,000 people each year.
“The Philadelphia Flower show was selected as the host location for FTD World Cup because of its reputation as the largest and longest-running show in the USA, with an amazing attendance record,” explains Emily Bucholz, FTD marketing communications director. “Hosting the competition at the Flower Show will offer a built-in audience of flower lovers who will attend the show and now have the opportunity to experience two amazing events in one location. FTD is so proud to host the international floral community in the United States.”
The pedigree of the competitors is stellar, including past Interflora World Cup top 10 finalists and previous World Cup participants, Europa Cup Champions, National Floral Cup Winners, National Florists of the Year Champions and Junior Class Champions.
Day One: Preliminary Round, Part 1 This event will take place on the main show floor, and designers will be required to complete two designs. Except for the placement of botanicals, the designs for all but the surprise packages are prepared in advance. The first task is a Designer’s Choice arrangement, themed “Harmony in Nature.” Design Two is a hand-tied bouquet, “Strength of Color,” to demonstrate how color and light are inseparable and illustrate how light creates color in nature.
Day Two: Preliminary Round, Part 2 Day two of the competition challenges the competitors to create an entire table setting for a “Table for Two – The Power of Flowers.” The final task of the preliminary round is a surprise package featuring exclusively Certified American Grown Flowers. At the end of the day, after a design presentation by the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD), the top 10 semifinalists will be announced and move onto the semi- final round.
Day Three: Semifinal and Final Rounds On the morning of day three, the top 10 will design another surprise package, after which the field of competitors will be narrowed to five. The top five designers will then compete on stage at a ticketed evening gala event, where one will be presented with the Interflora World Cup Champion trophy.
With preparations underway to welcome to world to Philadelphia, the competitors are preparing for arguably the biggest event of their floral careers, and the international community of florists is booking flights and hotels to be a part of this extraordinary once-in-a-lifetime experience.
