One of the most important festivals at the national level was held in its 69th edition; the traditional event took place on August 9.
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The overall winner of the 69th edition of the Silleteros Parade is John Jairo Grajales Gómez. Photo: Manuel Saldarriaga/Feria de las Flores 10.08.2026 16:15 Updated: 10.08.2026 16:15
During its 69th edition, the Silleteros Parade took place on the streets of Medellín as part of the schedule of activities of the Feria de las Flores, which was held from July 31 to August 9 of this year. Winner in the traditional category, Jhon Jairo Grajales from El Porvenir. Photo: Manuel Saldarriaga/Feria de las Flores The absolute winner of this event was John Jairo Grajales Gómez, who received the highest recognition of the entire event and was crowned as the figure of this edition of the parade. The award to the winners highlights months of preparation, flower selection, and the creation of various designs. Not only is the composition and beauty of the silletas considered, but also the effort behind each one. READ ALSO Who were the winners of the other categories? The traditional parade had participation from 545 people, according to the Feria de las Flores website. Participants competed in 7 categories; the winners of each were: Traditional category: Jhon Jairo Grajales from El Porvenir. Monumental category: David Santiago Grisales Gómez from Piedra Gorda. Winner of the monumental category, David Santiago Grisales Gómez from Piedra Gorda. Photo: Teleantioquia Emblematic category: Juan Gabriel Velásquez Grajales from El Porvenir. Winner of the emblematic category, Juan Gabriel Velásquez Grajales from El Porvenir. Photo: Teleantioquia Commercial category: Mateo Londoño Ospina from San Ignacio. Artistic category: Víctor Julio Ruiz from El Porvenir. Winner of the artistic category, Víctor Julio Ruiz from El Porvenir. Photo: Teleantioquia Junior category: Isabela Grajales Grajales from Piedra Gorda. Children's category: Isabela Londoño Grajales from El Cerro. What are the 7 categories of the traditional Silleteros Parade? According to the Feria de las Flores, the 7 categories are representative and distinct from each other, given their characteristics: Traditional, the most representative and very classic category. It is made with wildflowers; its organization is based on the memory of how flowers were sold around the city in other times. It is usually the smallest and simplest of the silletas. Monumental, this is more based on visual impact thanks to its large designs that exceed five meters of floral volume and can weigh up to 100 kilos. Paisas shined in the Silleteros Parade. Photo: Jaiver Álvarez Emblematic, here characterizations are achieved that represent religious scenes, cultural identity, portraits of characters, and institutional messages typical of Medellín. Commercial, these are orders from brands, and the difficulty lies in imitating the color code, shapes, and values of private companies. Artistic, in this category, the silletero seeks to transmit a direct message to the parade spectators; it focuses on creativity and has a complex level of detail. READ ALSO Junior, young silleteros between 14 and 17 years old participate. Children's, children can let their creativity run free; they are the smallest silleteros in the parade, between 7 and 13 years old. The benefit of the Feria de las Flores for Medellín The department is recognized for its variety and quality of flowers exported; therefore, the event brought many benefits to the local citizens. "The balance couldn't be better, an economic impact of 60 million dollars; but the most important thing is that the money stays with the taxi driver who doesn't stop working, with the woman who goes out to earn a living every day to support her family, the hardworking men, those who sell on the street," said Mayor Federico Gutiérrez. Diana Vanessa Arévalo Correa TEAM LATEST NEWS. Follow all the information about Colombia on Facebook and Twitter, or in our weekly newsletter. BOLETINES EL TIEMPO Register in our newsletters and receive news in your email according to your interests. Stay informed about what really matters to you. EL TIEMPO GOOGLE NEWS Follow us on GOOGLE NEWS. Always stay updated with the latest news, coverage, stories, and analysis directly on Google News. EL TIEMPO WHATSAPP Join El Tiempo's channel on WhatsApp to stay up to date with the most relevant news at the moment. EL TIEMPO APP Stay informed with the EL TIEMPO app. Receive the latest news, coverage, stories, and analysis directly on your device. SUBSCRIBE TO THE DIGITAL Reliable information for you. Subscribe to EL TIEMPO and access our journalistic content unlimitedly.