This post is part 3 of 5 in the series Flower Fair Festival in Medellin, Colombia

The Feria de las Flores (Flower Festival) in Medellin, Colombia may have been started in 1957 to recognize and encourage the area’s agricultural pursuits, but times change and today one of the highlights of the annual Flower Festival is the Desfile de Autos Clasicos y Antiguos Classic Car Parade. It’s no Concours d’Elegance, but you will see beloved makes and models from Ford to Porsche to Datsun, you’ll hear horns that play La Cucaracha (which we totally want for our truck) and you’ll see some pretty good Elvis impersonators too.

Medellin Classic Car Parade - Elvis

Elvis cavorts with Marilyn and some escapees from Laugh In during the Flower Festival Classic Car Parade in Medellin, Colombia.

Flower Festival Classic Car Parade

The first stages of the Flower Festival Classic Car Parade are dominated by vehicles plastered in logos and ads for the sponsoring companies and military vehicles. Yawn. After about an hour of that, vehicles that could generously be called classic and a handful that would qualify as truly antique started rolling by.

Vehicles came from all over Colombia (mostly from Bogotá) and all over South America. Costumed participants generally fell into four categories which often had nothing to do with the birth date of the vehicle they were in: The ’60s/’70s, Great Gatsby, or Elvis.

Here are some of our favorite scenes from the Flower Festival Classic Car Parade in Medellin.

Flower Festival Classic Car Parade: Best of the 1950s roadsters

Medellin car parade - 1950s sports cars Medellin car parade - 1950s sports cars

Flower Festival Classic Car Parade: Best of the 1960s

Medellin car parade - 1962 Corvette 60s-composite

Flower Festival Classic Car Parade: Best of the mini cars

Medellin Desfile de Autos Clasicos y Antiguos - 1953 Morris Minor Medellin Desfile de Autos Clasicos y Antiguos - mini cars

 Flower Festival Classic Car Parade: Best of the 1950s

Medellin Desfile de Autos Clasicos y Antiguos - 1953 Opel Medellin Classic Car Parade

 Flower Festival Classic Car Parade: Best of the Chevy Bel Airs

Medellin Classic Car Parade - Chevy Bel Air Medellin Desfile de Autos Clasicos y Antiguos - Chevy Bel Air

Flower Festival Classic Car Parade: Best of the true antiques

Medellin Classic Car Parade - oldies

Flower Festival Classic Car Parade: Best of the 1970s

Medellin Desfile de Autos Clasicos y Antiguos - 1970 Citroen 2CV Medellin Classic Car Parade - 19702 cars

Flower Festival Classic Car Parade: Best of the original SUVs

Medellin Classic Car Parade - 1954 Willys CJ3B Jeep

Medellin Classic Car Parade - Jeeps

Flower Festival Classic Car Parade: Best of the trucks

Medellin Classic Car Parade - 1969 VW Pickup Medellin Classic Car Parade -= Pickup Trucks

priest on a scooter - Medellin Desfile de Autos Clasicos y Antiguos

It was neither classic nor a car but the “Pope” on a scooter was a big hit in the Flower Festival Classic Car Parade in Medellin.

Flower Festival Medellin travel tips

Every year the Flower Festival in Medellin brings in thousands of tourists and hotels fill up fast. During last year’s Flower Festival we managed to get a room at 61 Prado Guesthouse and we highly recommend it to any traveler who likes spotlessly clean and comfortable rooms at reasonable rates (US$35 for a private double room with bathroom) in a homey environment just a few blocks from Medellin’s famous metro system.
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Want to see a 7,000 horse power parade? Check out our post, photos, and video from the Flower Festival Cabalgata Horse Parade.

Here’s more about travel in Colombia

 


Series Navigation:<< The Amazing Artisans Behind the Flower Festival – Medellin, ColombiaControversy Cancels the Flower Festival Horse Parade – Medellin, Colombia >>

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