Festival of Flowers

The Festival of Flowers takes place in August, the event gathers together to Antioquia inhabitants and thousand of tourists that visit Medellín. This place is full of flowers, happiness, peace and fun. That’s why Medellín is known as “The City of Eternal City. Every year, thousand of persons gather together for celebrating the festival, the flourish of the race and their customs.

History

The first flowers festival was taken place on May 1, 1959, month plentiful of flowers, by Arturo Uribe initiative. It lasted five days, but didn’t have a lot of splendor, was celebrated with private and public celebrations. In those years, there were activities like the flowers exhibition organized by the Gardening Club and the silleteros parade in Bolivar Park.

The fair was gaining strength, becoming one of the most important celebrations of Colombia and the prestigious one in the world. Several events were added like Guinness horseback riding in 1996 and 1999, The Old Classic Automobile Parade, the Orchids, birds and flowers exhibitions.

Activities

Silleteros´ Parade

The “silleteros” are native people who, in order to create a useful transport, made a “silleta”. It was used for carrying persons or other objects as provisions and flowers. Years after, this silleta was decorated with flowers, what are exhibited today in the silleteros parade. The creativity and dedication is admirable, it is possible to appreciate different figures that are classed by the event organizers. Inhabitants from different municipalities come to the parade.

Silleteritos

The silleteritos parade gather together to hundred of children of the department. Every year, they show its love for Antioquia traditions, carrying their own creations for the event.

Flowers and foliages

Medellín, the city of flowers, has a festive atmosphere: Balconies, terraces, gardens, fences and all kind of celebrations are displayed.

A “silleta” may weight 70 kilos and is five meters high. Some kinds of flowers for making silletas are: pinochos, iris, carnations, agapantos, chispas, sunflowers, tul de novia and gladiolus; for traditional silletas are used flowers like boca de dragon and wild flowers. The fine flowers for silletas are: pompons, carnations, roses, orchids and flowers from greenhouse. Cultivating beautiful flowers is a token of love, what flower cultivators have.

Other activities

In the festival, you will enjoy all kind of activities for all preferences and during different hours of the day; they are:
- Flowers ride
- Old Classic Automobile Parade
- Silleteros Parade
- Silleteritos parade
- Antiques Fair
- Equine Fair
- Bands Festival
- Flowers Miss Election
- Exhibition of orchids, birds and flowers
- Popular Music Platforms
- Troubadour