Feria de Flores Medellín 2025: A No-Nonsense Guide for First-Timers

• 🌼 Festival runs August 1–10, 2025

• 🎶 200+ events: parades, concerts, trova battles, chiva parties

• 💸 Flights, hotels, and Airbnb prices jump 30–70%

• 🧳 Book by May if you want a decent stay

• 🎆 Silleteros Parade is still the main event

What Is Feria de Flores, and Why Should You Care?

If you’ve never been to Medellín during Feria de Flores, you’re not ready for how alive this city gets. Streets fill with music, parades, chiva buses, and enough aguardiente to power a small nation. You’ll see paisa pride on full display; real, loud, and unapologetic. Whether you're here for the flower art, the old-school trova battles, or just a damn good time, this is the week Medellín stops pretending to be chill.

Feria de Flores isn’t just about flowers. It’s Medellín’s way of showing off; loud, proud, and colorful. You’ll see families from Santa Elena carrying 60-kilo flower arrangements on their backs. You’ll see salsa dancing next to vintage Buicks. You’ll hear drunk uncles shouting Trova rhymes that would make Eminem blush.

If you’ve never been, this is the most chaotic and joyful time to be in the city.

A Bit of History (Short and Useful)

• First held in 1957 with just 40 silleteros

• Originally celebrated in May, later moved to August

• The festival honors rural flower farmers from Santa Elena

• It’s now the biggest cultural event in Medellín, drawing over 2 million visitors

• 2025 marks the 68th Silleteros Parade

How It Boosts the City

Medellín’s economy loves this festival:

• Flower exports hit $279 million USD annually

• Hotels, restaurants, Ubers, and corner shops see massive spikes in business

• The city spent COP 336 million just to support this year’s silleteros

• Tourists drop cash fast. If you’re selling bandeja paisa or aguardiente, you’re golden

Prices Spike—Here’s How to Survive It

This isn’t the time for last-minute bookings:

• ✈️ Flights: Bogotá–Medellín or international routes jump 40–70%

• 🛏️ Hotels & Airbnb: Rates go up 30–50% from July 15 through August

• 🎟️ Tickets for main concerts often sell out in pre-sale

Tip: Book your flights by May, and lock in your Airbnb near Laureles or Estadio if you want walkable access but less noise than El Poblado.

2025 Feria de Flores Event Highlights

July 20: Desfile de Silleteritos

Time: 10 AM
Location: Santa Elena
🧒 Kids carry mini flower arrangements, dressed like traditional silleteros.
💡 Why go: It's the cutest event of the whole month. Great for families or Instagram.

July 27: Festival de Sancochos

Time: 11 AM
Location: Parque Central Santa Elena
🍲 Dozens of versions of sancocho (stew) served up by locals.
💡 Why go: Food, beer, and foggy mountain views. Come hungry.

August 1: Opening Concert + Plaza de Flores

Time: 6 PM
Location: Obelisco, Estadio area
🎤 Headliners include Jorge Celedón and Arelys Henao.
🌸 Plaza de Flores runs nightly, with artisan vendors and food.
💡 Why go: The party starts here. Expect crowds and dancing.

August 2: Flower Bike Ride + Trova Semi-Final

Time: 8 AM ride, 6 PM Trova
Location: Bike ride from Carabobo Norte to Jardín Botánico
🎶 Trova battle at Parque de los Deseos
💡 Why go: Locals freestyle like battle rappers. Wildly fun.

August 3: Avenida Primavera Parade + Dog Walk

Time: Parade at 3 PM, dog walk at 9 AM
Location: Avenida Primavera & Tierragro (Envigado)
🐕‍🦺 Dog lovers dress up their pups. Music and food trucks on-site.
💡 Why go: One of the chillest and most photogenic days.

August 4: Noches de Antioquia

Time: 6 PM
Location: Rotating venues in Belén and Castilla
🕺 Live vallenato, salsa, and traditional dance
💡 Why go: Skip the big stage, see how the neighborhoods celebrate.

August 5: Desfile Infantil + More Tablados

Time: Kids’ parade 10 AM, concerts from 5 PM
Location: Buenos Aires neighborhood
🎉 More community concerts in Doce de Octubre and Belén
💡 Why go: Authentic Medellín culture, not tourist-centered.

August 6: Photo Exhibit + Free Concerts

Time: 10 AM photo expo, concerts 6 PM
Location: Plaza de las Luces + San Javier
📸 Exhibit titled “Cargadores de sueños”
💡 Why go: Great photos, street food nearby, and local bands.

August 7: Classic Car Parade + Castilla Tablado

Time: 2 PM parade, 7 PM concert
Location: Avenida Las Vegas → Parque del Poblado
🚗 Classic Chevrolets, jeeps, and jeeps with flowers
💡 Why go: Old-school cars meet paisa swagger.

August 8: Trova Final + Robledo Concert

Time: Trova at 6 PM, Robledo tablado 8 PM
Location: Plaza Gardel (San Diego sector)
🎤 Trova masters battle it out
💡 Why go: You don’t need to understand Spanish to enjoy the roasting.

August 9: Chivas y Flores + Super Concert

Time: 4 PM parade, 8 PM concert
Location: Downtown to Obelisco
🚌 Chivas buses decked out in flowers
🎶 Night concert with Juanes, Blessd, and Juan Luis Guerra
💡 Why go: This is Medellín going full throttle.

August 10: 68th Desfile de Silleteros

Time: 2 PM
Location: Avenida Guayabal
🌸 530+ silleteros carry flower masterpieces
💡 Why go: This is the grand finale. Don’t miss it.

All of this is covered in the following PDF brought to you by the Mayor's Office:
https://www.medellin.gov.co/es/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ProgramacionOficialFeriaFlores2025.pdf

Ongoing Events to Catch Between Big Ones

• 🧺 Arrieros, Mulas y Fondas: Replica Antioquian towns with music and food

• 🎨 Parque Cultural Nocturno: Themed nights with jazz, tropical, rock

• 🐎 Cabalgata Alterna: Not official, but many will be horseback-riding along backroads

• 💐 Orchid & Bonsai Exhibits: Jardín Botánico throughout the week

Pro Tips to Do Feria Right

• Use the Metro. Ubers get stuck.

• Wear sunscreen and comfortable shoes.

• Don’t flash your phone in crowds. Be smart.

• Eat at casetas (pop-up food stalls) for the real experience.

• Book events early if you want seated access.

Skip the over-edited influencer reels. Feria de Flores is better in real life. It’s messy, packed, loud, and unforgettable. Book your flights early, grab a decent Airbnb, and get ready to sweat, dance, and maybe cry at the Silleteros Parade. Medellín doesn’t fake it for the cameras. Come see it for yourself.