The word 'silletero' comes from 'silleta' - a wooden frame worn on the back like a backpack. Flower farmers in the mountains around Medellín have been growing flowers for generations. For the parade, they build these frames into spectacular living sculptures covered entirely in fresh flowers, sometimes weighing 80 kg or more. Each design is completely original.
The Silleteros' parade takes hours to wind through Medellín's streets. The frames are so tall and wide that the carriers have to walk carefully to avoid hitting lamp posts. Close up, the flowers are extraordinary - dozens of species in perfect arrangements, making images of landmarks, maps, animals or abstract patterns.
Medellín sits in a valley in the Andes at about 1,500 metres altitude. The climate - never too hot, never too cold, with plenty of rain - is almost perfect for growing flowers. Colombia is one of the world's largest exporters of cut flowers, and Medellín's surrounding mountains supply much of that harvest.
The Feria de las Flores has been running since 1957. Beyond the flower parade, the ten days include music concerts, vintage car parades, horse shows and street food markets. For residents of Medellín, it is the most important week of the year - a time when the whole city comes together to celebrate the mountains and the people who farm them.