Festival of the Flowers: Difference between revisions

Festival of the Flowers
Feria de las Flores
Festival of the Flowers; Feria de las Flores
Status	Active
Genre	Cultural festival
Frequency	Annually
Location(s)	Medellín
Country	Colombia
Inaugurated	1963
Website	feriadelasfloresmedellin.gov.co

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The Flowers Festival (Spanish: Feria de las Flores) is a festival that takes place in Medellín, Colombia. The annual festival is a significant driver of tourism and holds importance to the cultural fabric of the city. In addition to various flower display-oriented events and contests, the festival includes musical performances, an antique car parade, and an 11km bike ride. It is estimated that the Flowers Festival annually attracts more than two million people to the city, and the event cost the city around $3.6 million to organize in 2019. ^[1]

History

The first Flowers Festival took place on May 1, 1957. It was organized by Arturo Uribe, a member of the Board of the Office of Development and Tourism in Medellin, Colombia. The festival lasted for five days with an exposition of flowers displayed in the Metropolitan Cathedral, which was organized by the Gardening Club of Medellín and monsignor Tulio Botero to celebrate the Virgin Mary day. This flower parade represents the end of slavery when slaves carried men and women on their backs up steep hills instead of flowers. The first silleteros parade also took place with some 40 men from the corregimiento of Santa Elena carrying on their backs flower arrangements to the exposition site.^[2]^[3]

This festival initially took place during the month of May but was changed to August in 1958 to celebrate the independence of Antioquia. Since then, other events have been added like the International Pageant of the Flowers, the cavalcade, Guinness Records in 1996 and 1999, classic automobiles parade, Orchids exposition, among others.^[2]

Types of Silletas

The Traditional Silleta: It is an icon that represents the old silletas used by peasants to transport their products. It usually measures 80-90 centimeters and they can carry up to 50 kilos flowers on it.^[1]
The Emblematic Silleta: The design can be flat or three-dimensional and they seek to bring civic, educational or religious messages to the population.^[1]
The Monumental Silleta: They are the largest silletas, reaching up to 2 x 2 meters. In this category, creativity has no limits as they constitute true works of art. Shapes, colors, and textures are mixed.^[1]
The Commercial Silleta: They are authentic mobile advertising pieces, sponsored by companies that want to participate in the parade.^[1]

Regional Significance

Religion

The Flowers Festival has roots in local Christian tradition. Though Colombia does not have an official religion, Roman Catholicism is the dominant faith and deeply culturally pervasive.^[4] At the beginning of the 20th century, in the month of May with the arrival of spring, it was common for homes and altars of churches to be decorated with native flowers in honor of the Virgin Mary.^[1] In 2017, the Pope, the head of the Catholic church, was met with over a million visitors on his visit to the city.

Industry

The production and export of flowers in the region employs thousands of workers. More than 235,000 tons of flowers are exported amongst 1600 different specie, with a value of approximately $279 million.^[1]

2006 Festival

In 1999, the festival reached 482 silleteros participants.^[5] The 2006 edition also featured a new category of silleteros. Maria Isabel Lopez, spokeswoman for the Convention Center Bureau of Madrid, described this new category: "these are the Pioneers, who will show all their Silletas making experience, but will not participate in the contest."^[6] Some 50 peasants carried the silletas; 260 featuring traditional arrangements, 50 brandishing advertisements and 28 from the new Pioneer category. Keeping with tradition, the Mayor of Medellín sponsored the awards of the contest. In 2006, there were a total of 260 awards, selected and given by three juries.^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Viloria, Pacho (2020-02-22). "La Feria de Las Flores - All About Medellin Flower Festival". Medellin Advisors. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
^ ^a ^b "El Colombiano; The Festival, a tradition that vibrates in Medellín" (in Spanish).
^ (in Spanish) Lopais.com; by the path of the silleteros
^ "Colombian Culture - Religion". Cultural Atlas. 2018. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
^ (in Spanish) El Spain In Madrid the feast was with the silleteros
^ ^a ^b Medellín, a Carpet of flowers with the silleteros

External links

(in Spanish) The Flowers Festival official website Archived 2017-02-02 at the Wayback Machine
(in Spanish) The Flowers Festival Twitter
(in Spanish) Flower Festivals in Spain
(in Spanish) The Flowers Festivals in Medellin

[:0-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Viloria, Pacho (2020-02-22). "La Feria de Las Flores - All About Medellin Flower Festival". Medellin Advisors. Retrieved 2023-07-02.

[elcolombiano.com-2] "El Colombiano; The Festival, a tradition that vibrates in Medellín" (in Spanish).

[3] (in Spanish) Lopais.com; by the path of the silleteros

[4] "Colombian Culture - Religion". Cultural Atlas. 2018. Retrieved 2023-07-02.

[5] (in Spanish) El Spain In Madrid the feast was with the silleteros

[ReferenceA-6] Medellín, a Carpet of flowers with the silleteros

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Festival in Medellín, Colombia}}
 {{Infobox recurring event
 | name         = Festival of the Flowers
@@ Line 4: / Line 5: @@
 | native_name_lang = es
 | logo         = FestivaloftheFlowerslogo.png
-| logo_alt     = 190px
+| logo_alt     =
 | logo_caption =
 | logo_size    =
@@ Line 42: / Line 43: @@
 | website      = {{URL|http://feriadelasfloresmedellin.gov.co/}}
 | footnotes    =
+}}'''The Flowers Festival''' ({{langx|es|Feria de las Flores}}) is a [[Festivals in Colombia|festival]] that takes place in [[Medellín]], [[Colombia]]. The annual festival is a significant driver of tourism and holds importance to the cultural fabric of the city. In addition to various flower display-oriented events and contests, the festival includes musical performances, an antique car parade, and an 11km bike ride. It is estimated that the Flowers Festival annually attracts more than two million people to the city, and the event cost the city around $3.6 million to organize in 2019. <ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Viloria |first=Pacho |date=2020-02-22 |title=La Feria de Las Flores - All About Medellin Flower Festival |url=https://www.medellinadvisors.com/la-feria-de-las-flores/ |access-date=2023-07-02 |website=Medellin Advisors |language=en-US}}</ref>
-}}
-[[File:Desfile de Autos Clasicos y Antiguos(57).JPG|thumb|right|249px|Old and Classic automobile parade]]
-'''The Flowers Festival''' ({{lang-es|Feria de las Flores}}) is a [[Festivals in Colombia|festival]] that takes place in [[Medellín]], [[Colombia]]. The festival is the most important social event for the city and includes  a pageant, automobiles, a [[Paso Fino]] horse parade and many musical concerts.<ref name="elcolombiano.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.elcolombiano.com/proyectos/feriaflores/eventosimportantes/historiadeaferia.htm|title=El Colombiano; The Festival, a tradition that vibrates in Medellín|language=es}}</ref>
 ==History==
 [[Image:CabalgataFiestaFloresMedellín.jpg|thumb|left|259px|the [[Paso Fino]] [[cavalcade]]]]
-The first Flowers Festival took place on May 1, 1957. It was organized by Arturo Uribe, a member of the Board of the Office of Development and Tourism in Medellin, Colombia. The festival lasted for five days with an exposition of flowers displayed in the Metropolitan Cathedral, which was organized by the Gardening Club of Medellín and monsignor Tulio Botero to celebrate the Virgin Mary day. This [[flower parade]] represents the end of slavery when slaves carried men and women on their backs up steep hills instead of flowers. The first [[sillero|silleteros]] parade also took place with some 40 men from the ''[[corregimiento]]'' of Santa Elena carrying on their backs flower arrangements to the exposition site.<ref name="elcolombiano.com"/><ref>[http://feriadelasflores.lopaisa.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28 {{in lang|es}} Lopais.com; by the path of the silleteros]</ref>
+The first Flowers Festival took place on May 1, 1957. It was organized by Arturo Uribe, a member of the Board of the Office of Development and Tourism in Medellin, Colombia. The festival lasted for five days with an exposition of flowers displayed in the Metropolitan Cathedral, which was organized by the Gardening Club of Medellín and monsignor Tulio Botero to celebrate the Virgin Mary day. This [[flower parade]] represents the end of slavery when slaves carried men and women on their backs up steep hills instead of flowers. The first [[sillero|silleteros]] parade also took place with some 40 men from the ''[[corregimiento]]'' of Santa Elena carrying on their backs flower arrangements to the exposition site.<ref name="elcolombiano.com">{{cite web |title=El Colombiano; The Festival, a tradition that vibrates in Medellín |url=http://www.elcolombiano.com/proyectos/feriaflores/eventosimportantes/historiadeaferia.htm |language=es}}</ref><ref>[http://feriadelasflores.lopaisa.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28 {{in lang|es}} Lopais.com; by the path of the silleteros]</ref>
+This festival initially took place during the month of May but was changed to August in 1958 to celebrate the independence of [[Antioquia Department|Antioquia]]. Since then, other events have been added like the ''International Pageant of the Flowers'', the [[cavalcade]], [[Guinness World Records|Guinness Record]]s in 1996 and 1999, classic automobiles parade, Orchids exposition, among others.<ref name="elcolombiano.com"/>
+[[File:Desfile de Autos Clasicos y Antiguos(57).JPG|thumb|right|255x255px|Old and Classic automobile parade]]
+== Types of Silletas ==
+* '''The Traditional Silleta:''' It is an icon that represents the old silletas used by peasants to transport their products. It usually measures 80-90 centimeters and they can carry up to 50 kilos flowers on it.<ref name=":0" />
+* '''The Emblematic Silleta:''' The design can be flat or three-dimensional and they seek to bring civic, educational or religious messages to the population.<ref name=":0" />
+* '''The Monumental Silleta:''' They are the largest silletas, reaching up to 2 x 2 meters. In this category, creativity has no limits as they constitute true works of art. Shapes, colors, and textures are mixed.<ref name=":0" />
+* '''The Commercial Silleta:''' They are authentic mobile advertising pieces, sponsored by companies that want to participate in the parade.<ref name=":0" />
+[[File:Desfile de Silleteros2007-(44)Medellin.JPG|thumb|A Commercial Silleta]]
+== Regional Significance ==
+=== Religion ===
+The Flowers Festival has roots in local Christian tradition. Though Colombia does not have an official religion, Roman Catholicism is the dominant faith and deeply culturally pervasive.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018 |title=Colombian Culture - Religion |url=http://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/colombian-culture/colombian-culture-religion |access-date=2023-07-02 |website=Cultural Atlas |language=en}}</ref> At the beginning of the 20th century, in the month of May with the arrival of spring, it was common for homes and altars of churches to be decorated with native flowers in honor of the Virgin Mary.<ref name=":0" /> In 2017, the Pope, the head of the Catholic church, was met with over a million visitors on his visit to the city.
+=== Industry ===
+The production and export of flowers in the region employs thousands of workers. More than 235,000 tons of flowers are exported amongst 1600 different specie, with a value of approximately $279 million.<ref name=":0" />
+==2006 Festival==
-This festival initially took place during the month of May but was changed to August in 1958 to celebrate the independence of [[Antioquia Department|Antioquia]]. Since then, other events have been added like the ''International Pageant of the Flowers'', the [[cavalcade]], [[Guinness World Records|Guinness Record]]s in 1996 and 1999, classic automobiles parade, Orchids exposition, among others.<ref name="elcolombiano.com"/>
+In 1999, the festival reached 482 ''silleteros'' participants.<ref>[http://www.elcolombiano.com/proyectos/feriaflores2006/ {{in lang|es}} El Spain In Madrid the feast was with the ''silleteros'']</ref> The 2006 edition also featured a new category of ''silleteros.'' Maria Isabel Lopez, spokeswoman for the Convention Center Bureau of Madrid, described this new category: "these are the Pioneers, who will show all their ''Silletas'' making experience, but will not participate in the contest."<ref name="ReferenceA">[http://www.elcolombiano.com/proyectos/feriaflores2006/historias/desfiles/silleteros.htm Medellín, a Carpet of flowers with the ''silleteros'']</ref> Some 50 peasants carried the ''silletas;'' 260 featuring traditional arrangements, 50 brandishing advertisements and 28 from the new Pioneer category. Keeping with tradition, the ''Mayor of Medellín'' sponsored the awards of the contest. In 2006, there were a total of 260 awards, selected and given by three juries.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
-==2006 edition==
+==References==
+{{Reflist}}
-In 1999 during its first edition, the festival reached 482 ''silleteros'' participants.<ref>[http://www.elcolombiano.com/proyectos/feriaflores2006/ {{in lang|es}} El Spain In Madrid the feast was with the ''silleteros'']</ref> The 2006 edition also featured a new category of ''silleteros'' as spokeswomen for the Convention Center Bureau of Madrid Maria Isabel Lopez mentioned "these are the Pioneers, who will show all their ''Silletas'' making experience, but will not participate in the contest".<ref name="ReferenceA">[http://www.elcolombiano.com/proyectos/feriaflores2006/historias/desfiles/silleteros.htm Medellín, a Carpet of flowers with the ''silleteros'']</ref> Some 50 peasants will carry the ''skillets'', 260 featuring traditional arrangements, 50 with commercial propaganda and 28 from the new Pioneer category. As in previous years, the ''Mayor of Medellín'' sponsored the awards of the ''Silleteros'' contest. In 2006, there were a total of 260 awards, selected and given by three juries.<ref name="reference"/>
 ==External links==
 {{commons category|Feria de las Flores}}
-* {{in lang|es}} [http://www.feriadelasfloresmedellin.gov.co/ The Flowers Festival official website]
+* {{in lang|es}} [http://www.feriadelasfloresmedellin.gov.co/ The Flowers Festival official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202042751/http://feriadelasfloresmedellin.gov.co/ |date=2017-02-02 }}
-* {{in lang|es}} [https://twitter.com/ferienmedellin The Flowers Festival Twitter]
+* {{in lang|es}} [https://twitter.com/feriaenmedellin The Flowers Festival Twitter]
 * {{in lang|es}} [http://www.uttaratoday.com/flower-festivals-spain Flower Festivals in Spain]
 * {{in lang|es}} [http://www.medellin.gov.co/irj/portal/medellinIngles?NavigationTarget=navurl://8d758fe2591fb70a5cebb3e06fce623c The Flowers Festivals in Medellin]