The birthplace of narco terrorist Pablo Escobar is also the birthplace of grown men who make huge, elaborate flower arrangements and carry them on their backs. It’s a legacy that’s celebrated with beauty and tradition during the annual Feria de las Flores (Flower Fair) in Medellin, Colombia. The main event is the Desfile de las Flores (Flower Parade) during which massive floral arrangements are carted through the streets of Medellin by young and old alike.
Silleteros who carry flower arrangements in the Flower Parade in Medellin are required to wear traditional clothing including the carriel bag which is made from patent leather and cow hide.
The Flower Festival in Medellin by the numbers
The Flower Festival numbers are staggering: 157 events over 10 days including 400 activities (fireworks, food, traditional singing competitions, open-air concerts, and more) enjoyed by more than 700,000 people.
Spoiler alert! This 3D flower arrangement that even had moving parts took home top honors in the emblematic category and took grand prize honors as well.
Beauty everywhere at the annual Flower Parade in Medellin, Colombia.
The central event of the Flower Festival in Medellin is the Flower Parade which includes 500 men, women, and children (called silleteros) carrying enormous and elaborate flower arrangements on wooden contraptions (called silletas) on their backs. More than 600,000 individual flowers are used to create the arrangements, some weighing as much as 220 pounds (100 kilos). Twelve event judges ultimately hand out awards for top examples in various categories.
The ugly origins of the Flower Festival
In Colonial times the wooden silletas were used by slaves to carry wealthy men and women up and down the mountains that rise around Medellin and throughout the district of Antioquia. In a post-slavery world, a woman named Maria La Larga used her silleta to carry children and that inspired farmers to imagine the silleta as a way to get their produce–including flowers–to market.
The tradition of being a silletero is usually passed on from generation to generation.
Today, Colombia ranks just behind Holland in global flower production with the rural Santa Elena area of Medellin as a major area of production. The first Flower Festival was held in 1957 to honor and encourage farmers in the region. It spanned just five days and the Flower Parade attracted just 40 silleteros.
Spoiler alert again! Seven year old Samuel Sanchez came out on top in the children’s category. You’ll see more of his adorable face and amazing flower arrangement below.
Highlights from the spectacular Flower Parade in Medellin
An entry in the emblematic category depicting part of the skyline and the famous metro system of the city of Medellin.
A silletero puts some finishing touches on his entry in the emblematic category.
Judges inspecting entries in the traditional category before the start of the Flower Festival Flower Parade in Medellin.
A lineup of the finalists in the monumental category during the Flower Parade in Medellin. Click to see full-size image.
A lineup of the finalists in the traditional category during the Flower Parade in Medellin. Click to see full-size image.
From left to right: The winners in the traditional, monumental, and emblematic categories face off for the overall grand prize.
Mauricio Londoño (on his knee) gets rushed by family as he’s named overall winner of the Flower Parade in Medellin.
Check out our video, below, to see more of the serious and emotional judging and awards process.
A girl carries her entry in the traditional category.
Another proud silletero.
This guy made it look easy to carry his entry in the traditional category.
A pre-parade lineup of entries in the traditional category.
A traditionally dressed silletera gathers her strength before shouldering her entry in the monumental category.
This elaborate depiction of a silletero carrying the Medellin skyline on his back (left) took second place in the emblematic category. Boy scouts were on hand during the Flower Parade to assist silleteros with particularly heavy loads like this one.
Boy scouts were on hand during the Flower Parade to assist silleteros with particularly heavy loads like these.
Seven year old Samuel Sanchez charmed the crowd and the judges, taking home top honors in the children’s category.
Another entry in the children’s category.
Entries in the traditional category during the Flower Parade.
Thousands of people line the Flower Parade route and give it a real party atmosphere.
Silleteros carrying traditional flower arrangements during the Flower Parade in Medellin.
It’s a sea of flowers–more than 600,000 of them–during the Flower Parade in Medellin.
More entries in the traditional category.
Watch a sea of flowers move slowly through the streets in our video, below, from the Flower Festival Flower Parade in Medellin, Colombia.
No parade is complete without music.
Traditional dancing is also a featured part of the Flower Festival Flower Parade in Medellin.
Dancers and musicians finding some shade to rest in before the start of Medellin’s famous Flower Parade.
Our video, below, gives you a glimpse of performances by traditional dance troops and musical groups which are also featured in the Flower Parade. It’s really too bad Colombians don’t like to celebrate…
These days the Flower Festival is about more than just flowers. Other top events include the controversial Cabalgata Horse Parade and a charmingly provincial Classic Car Parade (we hope you like Elvis impersonators and Jeeps). We also take you behind the scenes in Santa Elena where local artisans grow and arrange the flowers and backstage as proud chiva bus owners dress up their vehicles.
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.
Book Now
Here’s more about travel in Colombia
All those flowers are beautiful enough on their own, but formed into the artworks that you captured here … just stunning! Can’t wait to get to Colombia after Christmas this year!
The attention to detail that so many people have put into those floral displays is astounding. I cycled through Colombia at the wrong time of year to catch the festival, but would love to return in order to see it. Thanks for the wonderful photos
Great article!
Fantastic pictures Eric!
Excelent information Karen!
Congratulations again and again.
I like it.
[…] A traditionally dressed silletera gathers her strength before shouldering her entry in the monumenta… Photo: Eric Mohl […]
[…] https://trans-americas.com/2014/08/flower-festival-parade-medellin-colombia/ […]
Great article. A word of advice for the travelers. Do not buy palco tickets for the day of the parade. We bought tickets from “Turismo en Medellin” and it was terrible. The paco was very crowded, uncomfortable, safety hazards as the tickets were oversold and people sat on the access stairs. It is better to get there early between 8 and 9 am, bring a chair, umbrella and snacks.