STORY: Medellín’s artisans and flower growers were preparing on Saturday (August 9) for the upcoming Silleteros Parade, the central event and culmination of the region's flower festival.

Santa Elena, a district of Medellín, is renowned as the birthplace of the iconic silletas, floral arrangements carried on the backs people know as silleteros.

Each year, during the festival, silleteros march through Medellin's streets showcasing their colorful silletas, works of art made with flowers and natural elements, symbols of rural labor, family heritage, and tradition from the mountainous region.

Originally used to transport goods and people in Santa Elena's mountainous terrain, silletas have evolved into floral art representing traditional, emblematic, or commercial themes.

During this time, families teach children to shape cardboard bases for artistic silletas, explore the local heritage, and visit gardens to exchange species, before they hit the streets in the Silleteritos Parade.

"It's a unique emotion to look at the past, feel this present we're living in, and know that the future will be even more promising," said artisan and silletero Francisco Quintero while placing flowers on his siletas, shaped like a bird.

The Feria de las Flores parade is due to be held on Sunday (August 10). a

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: SANTA ELENA, MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA (AUGUST 9, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. (MUTE) VARIOUS DRONE SHOTS OF THE SILLETERA FARM, WHERE FLOWERS ARE GROWN FOR THE FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS USED BY SANTA ELENA RESIDENTS IN THE SILLETEROS PARADE (Ed’s note: The silletas are traditional floral arrangements carried on the backs of the silleteros, who are participants in the annual Flower Festival.)

2. TOURISTS TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS AMONG THE FLOWER GARDENS OF THE FARM

3. VARIOUS OF SILLETERO AND FLOWER GROWER, JOSE ZAPATA PICKING FLOWERS

4. FLOWERS IN THE FARM

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SILLETERO AND FLOWER GROWER, JOSE ZAPATA, SAYING:

"This has been prepared for around six or seven months, so that when people come, they find these gardens as you see them. It's a preparation, very happy, very joyful. There are no words to express what one feels as the Flower Festival approaches."

6. (MUTE) VARIOUS DRONE SHOTS OF THE SILLETERA FARM, WHERE FLOWERS ARE GROWN FOR THE FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS USED BY SANTA ELENA RESIDENTS IN THE SILLETEROS PARADE

7. TOURIST TAKING PHOTOGRAPH AMONG THE FLOWER GARDENS OF THE FARM

8. BEE ON A FLOWER

9. TOURISTS WALKING AMONG THE FLOWER GARDENS OF THE FARM

10. SIGN IN THE GARDEN READING (Spanish): "Beautiful thoughts are grown here."

11. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) TOURIST, MARLENE FERNANDEZ, SAYING:

"The contact with nature is incredible. It gives you peace and joy getting away from the city, from the noise. Everything is so green, so many beautiful flowers and the cultivation is spectacular with a great variety and beautiful shades."

12. VARIOUS OF TOURISTS RECORDING THE MAKING OF A SILLETA FOR THE PARADE

13. VARIOUS OF SILLETERO AND ARTISAN, FRANCISCO QUINTERO ATTACHING FLOWERS TO HIS SILLETA DURING ITS MAKING

14. WORKSHOP WHERE QUINTERO CREATES HIS SILLETAS.

15. FLOWER MADE FIGURINES TO BE PART OF THE SILLETA

16. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SILLETERO AND ARTISAN, FRANCISCO QUINTERO, SAYING:

"The silleta has much to tell, but this year's idea is to give you all a bit of that energy we as silleteros feel when we are in Medellin. We feel very proud, having had the opportunity to be in some international places, it's a great pride when people speak well of Colombia, when they admire you for being Colombian, when they want to take a photo with you because you have the carriel, the poncho, the hat that represents us as Antioquenos."

17. VARIOUS OF ARTISANS IN QUINTERO’S WORKSHOP FINISHING SILLETA DESIGNS

18. PURPLE FLOWERS

19. VARIOUS OF ARTISANS IN QUINTERO’S WORKSHOP FINISHING SILLETA DESIGNS

20. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SILLETERO AND ARTISAN, FRANCISCO QUINTERO, SAYING:

"We have many new ideas, and I have a bunch of young people working with me who are eager to be part of all this. So it's a unique emotion to look at the past, feel this present we're living in, and know that the future will be even more promising, because my son is going to participate tomorrow in the parade too. So it's quite exciting knowing this will go on for a long time."

MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA (AUGUST 9, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

21. VARIOUS OF POSTERS REPRESENTING WOMEN ADORNED WITH FLOWERS AS IF THEY WERE THEIR HAIR

22. ORCHID

23. PEOPLE AT THE FLORAL FAIR IN THE MEDELLIN BOTANICAL GARDEN

24. GIANT IGUANA MADE OF FLOWERS

25. PEOPLE POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPH IN FRONT OF A GIANT IGUANA MADE OF FLOWERS