Medellin Flower Festival attracts visitors from all around Colombia to the city of Medellin. In fact, tourists arrive to the city from all over the world including just to relish the special attractions that include a trail ride through town on horses, music festivals, orchid competition, and the world famous Parade of Silleteros. Silleteros are the stars of Medellin's Flower Festival. They are the heroes of this parade, both male and female, who carry elaborate floral displays on a "silla" (chair) through downtown Medellin. Back in the 1957, a silleteros parade included the participations of 40 peasant families from the Santa Elena area of Medellin. These families walked through the downtown area in a circuit that ended at Bolivar Park (Parque Bolivar).

Full of rich tradition and botanical perfection, the city of Medellín comes alive exhibiting its proud heritage in the traditions and customs that are celebrated at the festival, where the bright colors of its flowers grown in the countryside are in full display. In fact, Medellin, Colombia is one of the major agricultural growing centers in the flower export industry, where Colombia ranks as second largest supplier of live flowers to the world's market, with Holland occupying first place.

Medellin's Feria de Las Flores is packed with options for visiting tourists and international travelers.

The week-long schedule of the festival at the Feria de Las Flores begins and ends with a fireworks display. Among the many activities of the Festival are the National Trova Festival (singers duels of improvised verses), Sanalejo Market, the Festival of Humor, dog and mascots walk, Classic & Antique car parade featuring over 100 period automobiles, horse rides through town (cabalgata), popular/folk music concerts at parks and venues throughout Medellin, caravan of chivas, the National Championship of Sound on Wheels, activites targeted for children, and many other events to keep you fully entertained. The festival takes over the streets and parks of Medellin.

The Flower Festival holds a Guinness Book of World Records title as the world's largest flower parade. A seemingly endless spectacular, mobile show of extravagant floral arrangements called silletas. The silleta is a chair-like structure made of wood to to carry flowers on a person's back, consisting of a back plate and two handles for hanging the silleta. As the Flower Parade unfolds, bystanders cheer, celebrate, and applaud the colorful and aromatic silletas. It is an overflowing of roses, agapanthuses, pinocchios, lilies, bridal veil, carnations, orchids, sunflowers, gladioli, and chrysanthemums.

The festival also organizes the Cabalgata – a three-hour long horse parade featuring 7,000 to 10,000 colorfully adorned horses and riders and a grand fireworks display. For many, this show alone is worth the trip to Medellin. The horses, mostly of the famed South American Pasofino breed, and many of the riders are dressed in red, yellow, and blue of the Colombian flag. This is a celebration of both the theme and the pride of Colombia's wonderful people and culture. Do you know that the Cabalgata holds the Guinness Book of World Records title for being the world's largest horse parade. That's two Guinness winning events in one single festival!

As if the event itself were not enough, Medellin too is a popular vacation destination. Medellin, Colombia is a vibrant, cosmopolitan metropolis, at nearly 1,500 meters (5,000 feet) in elevation in the Central Range of the majestic Andes. Known as the City of Eternal Spring, Medellin is blessed with the perfect weather thanks to the near-equator latitude and elevation. The ideal climate makes the year-round blossoms possible that has made Medellin the "Flower Capital of the Americas". Because of the seemingly ideal location, there are virtually no bugs in Medellin.

Founded in 1616 by the Spanish Francisco Herrera Y Campuzano, Medellin became the capital of the Department of Antioquia, which is rich in colonial cultural heritage that has been well preserved and is still evident today. Medellin is the second biggest city in Colombia, in terms of population and economy, with more than 3.5 million people.

The residents in Medellin and in the neighboring areas are known as Paisas – (abreviation for "Paisano" - countryman), a term used with great pride. Paisas make up one of Colombia's five different regional cultures. It boasts their traditional wide-brimmed hats and western-style boots, and sturdy horses, which is very similar to the of American cowboys or the gauchos of Argentina. The Paisa culture has a Spanish background, and is traditionally Catholic, hardworking, and famously warm. Paisas are said to speak softly and quickly, and to give friendly smiles. The Paisa people of Medellin are very proud of their heritage, work ethic, and gusto for life.

We recommend that you plan ahead to visit the city of Medellin and book for seat for the Feria De Las Flores as soon as you can. Don't miss the opportunity to visit one of the most beautiful cities of Colombia and experience one of the most enjoyable cultural events in the world.

Feel free to contact us for vacation rentals in Medellin.