Colombia’s Festival of the Flowers takes over the streets of Medellin for 10 days

A sensual feast for the eyes, the explosively vibrant blooms plucked to mark Feria de las Flores make single notes in the symphonic flower arrangements during the ten-day Festival of Flowers in Medellin, Colombia. From August 5 to 15, a bustling collection of food vendors, indigenous and mestize artisans, cultural performers, festival-goers, farmers and flower artists will fill the city with life as it has nearly every year of the 65 since the festival’s first iteration.

The roots of the celebration stem from Black history, as the original May date for the festival was chosen in 1957 to commemorate the end of slavery in Colombia in 1851..

Striking and vivid, the artistic displays that fill the streets are magic brought to life, and a parade of the farmers wares, desfile de silleteros, takes center stage at the festival every year with competing explosions of psychedelic hues. The word silleteros is derived from the word silla meaning chair, and refers to the contraptions used by peasants and enslaved people to carry others as part of their laborious duties before emancipation.

To mark the occasion, farmers from the hills surrounding the city come to town bearing some of their most bountiful blooms. Flowers are arranged into vividly striking artistic displays that portray cultural motifs, local heritage, team pride and even political rallying cries.

In addition to floral displays, the festival hosts over 150 events relating to the culture and history of the city. There are concerts, street dances featuring salsa and tango, equestrian parades, classic car rallies, singing competitions and an opportunity for city-dwellers to visit farms in the surrounding countryside to peek ahead at competing displays and learn about the realities of living off the land. With more in store than can possibly be described, the Feria de las Flores is an event that can be enjoyed year after year, with new discoveries made every time.