What is the Medellín Flower Festival and when does it happen?
The Medellín Flower Festival, known locally as the Feria de las Flores, is the city's biggest celebration: about ten days of parades, concerts, improvised folk poetry and flower shows built around the silletero tradition of Santa Elena. It takes place every year between late July and August; the 2026 edition ran from July 31 to August 9.
The festival was born on May 1, 1957, the idea of Arturo Uribe Arango of the city's tourism office, and that first edition lasted five days. It later moved to August, the month that commemorates Antioquia's independence. Today it is organized by the Medellín mayor's office, and the 2026 edition, the 69th, had more than 100 activities, most of them free.
Dates, times and venues change every year, so check the official Feria de las Flores page (in Spanish) before booking flights.
What is the Silleteros Parade and how can you see it?
The Silleteros Parade is the heart of the festival: farmers from Santa Elena, a rural district of Medellín, walk through the city carrying silletas on their backs, wooden frames covered in flowers. The first parade, in 1957, had around 40 farmers; the 2026 parade, which closed the festival on Sunday, August 9, featured more than 530 silleteros.
The silleta was once used to carry people and goods on steep mountain trails. Today it is a symbol of Antioquia: Colombia's Law 838 of 2003 declared the parade part of the nation's cultural heritage, and in 2015 it was added to the national list of intangible cultural heritage. Growers use more than 80 flower varieties, including orchids, gladiolus, chrysanthemums, carnations and sunflowers.
The four types of silletas
- Traditional: a simple design, about 90 x 80 cm.
- Emblematic: carries a civic or educational message.
- Monumental: the largest and most colorful, roughly 2 x 2 meters.
- Commercial: sponsored by companies or organizations.
Tips for watching the parade
The route changes from year to year. In 2026 it started at the Guayaquil bridge, followed Avenida Regional and ended near Plaza Mayor, from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m. Some viewing areas require a ticket while others are open to everyone, so check the official information in advance. Arrive early, bring water, a hat and a light rain jacket, and expect slow crowds on the way out.
Which other festival events are worth your time?
Beyond the silleteros, the Flower Festival packs in parades, concerts and exhibitions. The highlights for most visitors are the Classic and Antique Car Parade, the National Trova Festival, the children's Silleteritos Parade, the Superconcierto and the orchid and flower show at the Botanical Garden. This table shows how they ran in 2026, as a reference.
| Event | What it is | 2026 reference |
|---|---|---|
| Classic and Antique Car Parade | A procession of vintage cars; the 2026 theme was "Women at the Wheel" | Friday, August 7: 18.7 km from UPB university, in Laureles, to Eafit |
| Silleteritos Parade | The children's version of the silleteros parade | Saturday, August 1, La Floresta park |
| Chivas y Flores Parade | Chivas, Colombia's colorful rural buses, decked out in flowers | Saturday, August 1, along Avenida Regional, finishing near Plaza Mayor and La Macarena |
| National Trova Festival | A contest of improvised sung poetry with hundreds of trovadores from across Colombia | Parque de los Deseos and Plaza Gardel; final on August 6 |
| Superconcierto | The festival's big concert | Saturday, August 8, Atanasio Girardot Stadium |
| Botanical Garden show | Orchids, flowers and crafts; traditionally called Orquídeas, Pájaros y Flores | August 4 to 9, under the name "Florecer" |
| Tablados | Music stages in neighborhoods and rural districts | Throughout the festival |
To see where the flowers come from, head up to Santa Elena, the rural district east of the city where silletero families live. It sits about 19 km from downtown with a cool average temperature of around 14.5 °C, and in 2026 it hosted the Noche Silletera in the festival's final days. It is also home to Parque Arví, a large nature reserve with forest trails.
Where should you stay for the Medellín Flower Festival?
For the Flower Festival, stay somewhere central, well connected and quiet enough to rest between events. Laureles checks all three boxes: it is close to Atanasio Girardot Stadium, Plaza Mayor and La Macarena, which in 2026 hosted the Superconcierto and the finish of both the Chivas y Flores and Silleteros parades, and it is a residential area with metro access.
El Poblado is the classic choice for nightlife around Provenza, and downtown puts you near some parade routes, but both tend to be busier. If you are weighing the two most popular areas, read our comparison of where to stay in Medellín: Laureles vs El Poblado.
What to look for in festival accommodation
- Distance to venues: map the events you care about most before you book.
- Metro access: parades close major roads, and the metro is usually the fastest way around.
- A quiet base: after hours on your feet, a calm neighborhood helps you recover.
- A kitchen and space: for families or longer stays, a suite with a kitchen adds flexibility.
- Early booking: demand rises during the festival, especially on the Silleteros Parade weekend.
Experiencing the festival from Living by Armóniko
Living by Armóniko is a boutique hotel in Laureles right across from Segundo Parque de Laureles. Based on the hotel's reference times, it is about 9 minutes from Atanasio Girardot Stadium, 10 from Plaza Mayor, 13 from La Macarena and 20 from El Poblado, so several festival venues are close while you sleep in a calm neighborhood.
Its 14 apartment-style suites all have a fully equipped kitchen and a private balcony. Traveling as a family? The Deluxe Suite offers 62 m², a King bed, a separate living room and space for three guests. A few details that help during festival days:
- À la carte breakfast included at Botswana Café Bar, on the second floor, until 10 a.m.
- Rocoto Rooftop, on the fifth floor, with Peruvian cuisine and signature cocktails to end the day.
- Luggage storage before check-in (3:00 p.m.) and after check-out (12:00 p.m.), handy for late flights.
- Airport transfers arranged on prior request.
How do you get around Medellín during the festival?
During the festival, the metro is your best friend, because parades shut down major roads for hours. From Laureles, Line B stops at Estadio and Floresta stations and connects with Line A at San Antonio. Line A then takes you, for example, to Universidad station, right next to the Botanical Garden.
- To the Superconcierto: Estadio station on Line B sits next to the Atanasio Girardot sports complex. The concert ends in the early morning (at 4:00 a.m. in 2026), so plan a taxi or ride-hailing app back; the hotel is about 9 minutes from the stadium.
- To Santa Elena: ride Line A to Acevedo, switch to Metrocable Line K up to Santo Domingo Savio, then take Line L to Arví, a 4.6 km cable car ride of about 15 minutes.
- To the parades: skip the car; get off at a nearby station and walk the last stretch.
What else can you do in Medellín during festival week?
Use the days between parades to explore the city and the Antioquia countryside. A guided tour of downtown, Comuna 13 and the Metrocable gives you context on Medellín, while a day trip to Guatapé or a coffee farm shows you the mountain landscapes that inspire the festival.
The hotel's front desk arranges tours in Medellín and Antioquia, all with a bilingual professional guide and most with round-trip transportation. The Medellín City Tour lasts 6 hours and covers the Historic Center, Comuna 13, the Metrocable and Pueblito Paisa. Short on time? Our Medellín 3-day itinerary helps you fit the highlights around the festival schedule, and our Guatapé day trip from Medellín guide covers the most popular excursion; during the festival, go on a weekday.
Practical tips for international visitors
To enjoy the Medellín Flower Festival without stress, build your plan around the official schedule, arrive early at the big events and be ready to spend hours outdoors. Carry water, sun and rain protection, some cash in small bills and a charged phone, and keep an eye on your belongings in the crowds.
- Pick your must-sees: with so many events you cannot do it all; choose two or three big ones and fill in with nearby tablados.
- Respect the silleteros: do not touch the silletas or cross the parade route; they carry their work on their backs the whole way.
- Dress in layers: wear comfortable shoes and bring a warm layer if you go up to Santa Elena, where it is cooler.
- Learn a few Spanish words: most programming is in Spanish, so terms like desfile (parade), silleta and tablado help you read the schedule.
