July 31 – August 9
What Is It?
The Flower Festival is Medellín’s most iconic cultural celebration, welcoming more than 2.5 million visitors each year to experience a one-of-a-kind festival that honors our heritage, artistic spirit, and the warmth of our people.
Throughout the festival, you’ll enjoy spectacular parades, live concerts, art exhibitions, and the world-famous Silleteros Parade—the festival’s signature event and Medellín’s most cherished tradition. It’s the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in Paisa culture, explore vibrant venues filled with music, local cuisine, and handcrafted goods, and be part of one of Colombia’s most celebrated festivals.
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The Silletero Tradition
Discover the story behind the beloved Silletero tradition, one of Medellín’s most treasured cultural legacies. Recognized as part of Colombia’s National Cultural Heritage, it has become the heart of the Flower Festival through its most iconic event, the Silleteros Parade.
The tradition originated in the rural district of Santa Elena and dates back to the 19th century, when local farmers and Indigenous communities created wooden carrying frames, known as silletas, to transport sick people, children, pregnant women, food supplies, and goods to market.
Over time, the silleta became the flower growers’ primary means of transporting their blooms. Carrying vibrant floral arrangements on their backs, they walked for hours from their farms in Santa Elena to Medellín’s main marketplaces, including Placita de Flórez and Plaza Cisneros. Today, that remarkable tradition lives on in the spectacular Silleteros Parade, one of Colombia’s most iconic cultural celebrations.
Silletero Farms
Today, you can visit nearly 17 Silletero farms, where local farming families have preserved the Silletero tradition for generations.
You don’t have to wait until the Flower Festival to experience them—although watching the Silleteros Parade in person is truly unforgettable.
If your visit doesn’t coincide with the Flower Festival in August, these farms offer an incredible opportunity to discover this unique tradition, meet the families who keep it alive, and experience Medellín’s cultural heritage year-round.
