No longer is Medellin known for drugs and crime, it is the Flower Festival that is now world reknowned.
Held July 28 to August 7, the Feria de las Flores, or the Flower Festival in Medellin, Colombia is one of the largest events in the country and one of the largest horticultural events in the world.
The festival began in the 1950's to help inspire the large number of flower growers in and around Medellin. The first festivities consisted of just the locals parading small arrangements through the downtown area but it has blossomed into a more than a week long event filled with concerts, parades, speeches, and craft sales.
Huge arrangements called Silletas that can be as large as 15 feet in diameter and need to be carried by a handful of people are one of the highlights. They are arranged to make intricate designs, sometimes of landscapes, figures, or famous paintings and images.
Elsewhere in Medellin during the festival, one can visit the Old Car Parade, the Horse Parade, a Bird and Flower Exposition at the Botanical Gardens, the San Alejo handicrafts market, and the Tablados, or street parties that take place everyday in different parts of the city.
The fair ends with a Grand Parade on the final day that is hours long and filled with music and dancing and of course....flowers. Lot's of them.
At present, more than 70% of the flowers sold in the US come from Colombia. Medellin, is located in the west-central part of the country, the flower heartland. It was once known as home to wide scale corruption, drug trafficking, and violent gangs, however, the fair has replaced that image and tourists are taking notice as the festival grows each year.
Visit the fairs official website www.feriadelasfloresmedellin.gov.co for more information.
