This year’s Medellin Flower Festival, held in Colombia’s “city of eternal spring” from July 30 to August 8, promises to be “memorable and better,” according to the city’s Mayor Alonso Salazar.
There will be significant changes to this year’s program, but the mayor hopes the differences will improve the festival “without losing its identity.”
The location of “Arrieros, Mulas y Fondas,” an exhibition of houses from rural Colombian villages, will take place in the Aeroparque Juan Pablo II, instead of on the Avenida del Rio, to make extra room for the show.
A change in the route of the parade of vintage and classic cars will allow greater visibility from the main roads of the city, and the “Silleteros Parade” will be moved to August 8, owing to the inauguration of President-elect Juan Manuel Santos on August 7.
“Silleteros” are artisans who carry elaborate flower arrangements known as “silletas” on their backs as they parade through the streets during the annual Flower Festival.
To represent the Colombian tradition of having a powerful local family sponsor the town festival, Medellin has actors playing La Familia Flores (The Flower Family), who will open the celebrations by passing through the city and inviting the public to take part in the traditional festivities.
For children there will be a new night circus at the Humor City, an area dedicated entirely to comedy in the Parque de los Deseos, on August 4 and 5.
Overall, the festival will boast 100 different artistic and cultural activities designed to suit a wide variety of tastes.