Since 1957, Medellín has celebrated its growing floral heritage with the annual Feria de las Flores (Flower Festival), which is now the biggest cultural event in the city. Known as the “city of eternal spring” because of its beautiful year-round weather, Medellín explodes with colour every August as the 10-day flower festival kicks off. The event, which takes place in downtown Medellín, features food, artists, vendors and – of course – flowers.
The festival is best known for the elaborate silleteros parade. The term silleteros, or “saddle men”, refers to the practice of men carrying goods on large circular plates worn on their backs. The tradition started as a way to transport produce, goods and even people through the mountainous terrain of the Andes, however it has become synonymous with flower sellers in Colombia because of the use of these back plates to transport flowers from farms in the mountains to the cities where they’re sold.
During the flower festival, silleteros create elaborate artistic floral arrangements, which often depict important historical and cultural moments with flowers and carry them through the streets on these traditional plates.
A more common, but no less beautiful, way to experience Colombia’s floral heritage is by visiting one of the many flower markets in cities around the country. For example, one of Medellín’s famous farmers’ markets, the Placita de Flóres sells locally grown flowers alongside other goods and produce, as does the Mercado de Paloquemao in Bogotá. Some flower farms, also welcome guests, so that visitors can see exactly where their favourite blooms originate, while also directly supporting the people who grow them.
This article was originally published in 2024 and has since been updated.