New York’s Colombian Flower Festival celebrates the annual Flower Festival (Feria de las Flores) in Medellín, Colombia.
10th Colombian Flower Festival 2019
This year’s New York festival includes a fundraising gala at Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows Corona Park on Friday, June 12 at 8pm ($100) and a Parade in Jackson Heights, Queens on Sunday, July 14 from 11am-2pm. FREE
2019 Colombian Flower Festival Gala
The Colombian Flower Festival Gala features an open bar, dinner and dancing to live music at Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens on Friday, June 12 at 8pm $100.
The Gala honors Dr. Luis Pérez Gutiérrez, the Governor of Antioquia.
Colombian soprano Delcy Yannet Estrada and classical string trio Trío de cuerdas entertain during dinner. Fosforito from Sábados Felices will tell a few jokes.
Then we dance the night away to Colombian salsa legends Fruko y sus tesos and tropical band Zafarrancho.
Get tickets at flowerfestivalintl.com
2019 Colombian Flower Festival Parade
The “Desfile de las flores” marches on 37th Avenue from 69th St to 86th St in Jackson Heights, Queens on Sunday, July 14, 2019 from 11am – 2pm. FREE
Feria de las Flores in Medellín, Colombia
Medellín’s Flower Festival is August 2 – 11, 2019.
The festival started in 1957 when a promoter (people from Medellín are often good promoters) asked a few silleteros to march in a parade. Today over 500 silleteros march in what has become a huge week-long festival, the most important celebration of Medellín.
Colombia is the flower capital of the Americas
Most cut flowers sold in the United States come from Colombia.
Most Colombian New Yorkers are “Paisas” from Medellín, the capital of the Colombian department (state) of Antioquia.
Silleteros
Silleteros are flower sellers who carry flowers on their backs down from the mountains of Medellín, Colombia to sell in the markets.
In the old times, silleteros used put a chair (una silla) on their backs to carry loads of people or goods. That is how they got their name silla-teros. When slavery ended
19th Colombian Flower Festival 2018
Flower Festival. Courtesy Flower Festival International.
This year the New York Flower Parade and Festival celebrates with a party, a street crawl and a parade.
New York City’s 2018 Flower Parade marches on Northern Blvd from 69th to 88th St on Sunday, July 8, 2018 from 12 noon – 2 pm. The Flower Festival starts on Friday with a party and continues on Saturday with a street crawl.
Fiesta de las Flores (Flower Party)
The Fiesta de las Flores is at Joya Hall in Rego Park, Queens on Friday, July 6, 2018 at 8 pm. $65
The show features Colombian comic Fosforito from the popular TV show Sabados Felice, live music by Zafarrancho, the storyteller Jerico, singers, and flower art by the silleteros of Santa Elena, Antioquia
Flower Festival Street Crawl
The Flower Festival Street Crawl is on 37th Avenue from 69th – 88th St in Jackson Heights, Queens on Saturday, July 7, 2018 from 4 – 7 pm.
The street crawl features live music, dancers, theater and circus performers.
Flower Parade (Desfile de las Flores)
The 9th Annual Flower Parade (Desfile de las Flores) marches on 37th Avenue from 69th – 88th St in Jackson Heights, Queens on Sunday, June 8, 2018 from 12 noon – 2 pm.