Medellin's flower parade celebrates 69 years of color and tradition

Crowds lined the Colombian streets of Medellin on Sunday (August 9) to watch the city's Silleteros Parade, the centerpiece of the Festival of the Flowers (Feria de las Flores), as farmers carried towering floral arrangements on their backs through the city.

More than 530 farmers took part in the colorful event, with some of them lifting arrangements of up to 80 kilograms, according to organizers. 

The silleta tradition dates back to the 18th and 19th centuries, when wooden frames with straps were the only means of transporting cargo and passengers across the Andes. As roads were built, farmers in the rural township of Santa Elena repurposed the structures to carry flowers from their farms to markets in Medellin.

The parade grew out of the Feria de las Flores, officially founded on May 1, 1957, to boost the local agricultural economy and tourism. In its first edition, only 40 farmers from Santa Elena walked through Medellin with basic arrangements. 

According to the Tourism and Entertainment Intelligence System (SITE), the 2026 Feria de las Flores is expected to generate $60.6 million in tourist spending, a 7% increase from the $56.6 million recorded in 2025.

Camera: Juan David Duque; Production & Editing: Juan David Duque, Javier Andres Rojas, Andrea Rodriguez; Writing: Andrea Rodriguez/Reuters