Sports fans will be flocking to Medellin in the coming weeks, as the Colombian city prepares to host the 9th South American Games. And for those who are less interested in sport, the city will also be putting on a variety of cultural events between March 19 and 30.
Ceremonies are set to open with a bang on March 19, with a spectacle of acrobatics, dance and pyrotechnics by the Cirque-du-Soleil-trained Dragone, held in the Atanasio Girardot Stadium.
Open to 2,500 spectators, it is a show that Medellin’s mayor Alonso Salazar Jaramillo has described as “a dazzling spectacle” that will “enhance not only the games but also the city,” and will present an interesting cultural and artistic collaboration between the show’s Colombian and European employees.
Also on the agenda is another Colombian-European collaboration – a dynamic art exhibition created jointly by Colombian sculptor Fernando Botero and Welsh painter Peter Greenaway, hosted by the Museum of Antioquia.
The exhibition will present an audiovisual narrative created by Greenaway on the works of the famous Colombian artist.
Those interested in performing arts will have a range of options for the eleven-day period – with a flamenco dance show by choreographer Rafael Amargo taking place in the city’s Pablo Tobon Uribe Theatre and a series of shows, including dance, theatre and music, to be presented in Medellin’s Deseos Park.
Finally, the end of the sporting event will marked by a grand street parade on March 30 – starting on the Avenida San Juan and finishing with festivities in the city’s Descalzos Park.
“We want to use these games to show the world the new Medellin that we are building – inclusive, compassionate, competitive and an unforgettable experience.”
To find out more about the events surrounding the South American Games, click here.