Every major city in Colombia has some major festival or fair at some point during the year. In Barranquilla, they have carnival. In Bogotá, they have the theatre festival (every two years), and in Cali, they have a salsa festival. In Medellin, dubbed “The City of Eternal Spring,” they have La Feria de las Flores, or, “The Fair of Flowers.”

Feria de las Flores is a weeklong celebration that has occurred every August since 1958. It has grown considerably since its commencement to include events such as the parade of antique automobiles, the horseback parade, and the procession of giant flower structures.

Giant Flower Structure

The main event during Feria de las Flores is the desfile de los silleteros, which more or less translates to “the parade of the chair-carriers.” Silleteros are traditionally flower-growers who live in the mountains surrounding Medellin. When they would come into the city to sell their flowers, they would strap a chair to their back and carry a huge pile of flowers on it. Today these flower-carriers are celebrated in the parade. 

Flower chair that people carried on their backs

Another important event that takes place during the festival is the performances by trovadores (troubadours). However, the trovadores are not like troubadours in English, who mostly sung love poems. The trovadores sing in pairs, each one singing a stanza that has to rhyme, and they trade-off. Usually they sing funny or sarcastic or politically charged songs, and their voices are amazing.

Los Trovadores

There is always something going on during the festival. At night, in Parque de los Pies Descalzos, they have concerts and comedians. In various malls they have different events such as traditional Colombian dance performances and flowers expositions. La Feria de las Flores is one of my favorite festivals I have been to in Colombia, and there are a lot from which to choose.

Cumbia Dancers

Desfile a Caballo – Horseback-riding Parade