January / February

Feria Taurina de la Candelaria / Festival of the Bulls

When: Jan/Feb 2009 (annual) La Macarena Stadium
Where: La Macarena Stadium

Opening Hours: 3:30pm every Saturday for six weeks with two special evening  events.

Every year at the end of January and the beginning of February, Spain comes toMedellin,and the very best Matadors in the world come to show off their skills in the beautifully restored Macarana stadium.

Every afternoon for six Saturdays the party revolves around the Macarana stadium and spills over into the streets, bars and restaurants of the Zona Rosa. The city is filled with spectators from all over the world and many places put on special events during the festival.

 

March / April

Semana Santa / Easter Holy Week)

When: April 2009 (annual)
Where: La Macarena Stadium

Opening Hours: 3:30pm every Saturday for six weeks with two special evening events.

Semana Santalasts for ten days, finishing on Domingo de la Resurrección - what the English-speaking world calls 'Easter Sunday'. The Holy Week of Easter is the most important Catholic religious festival in South America.

Semana Santa, Holy Week, celebrates the last days of Christ's life, the Crucifixion and Resurrection, as well as the end of Lent. Semana Santa is observed witha range of celebrations, from the most solemnly religious, to a mix of pagan/Catholic, to commercial. There is a four day long weekend in Medellin so it's party time!!

July

Colombia MODA 2007

When: July 29 to 31 2009, annual
Where: Centro Internacional de Convenciones Plaza Mayor

Opening Hours: 9am-6.30pm; Fri 9am-5.30pm

Colombiamoda is the most important annual fashion event in South America, presenting around 450 Colombian and international exhibitors in the Centro Internacional de Convenciones Plaza Mayor in Medellín.

Visitors are expected from all over Latin America, Europe, the United States and the Far East. Colombiamoda, organised by fashion promoter Inexmoda, has taken place every year since 1990. This year thereare products shown for men, women, teens and children in formal, casual, underwear, sportswear and swimwear, as well as supplies for fashion dealers, machinery and all the other services related to the sector.

A host of related events take place alongside the fair, including daily catwalk shows.

August

The Medellin Flower Fair / La Feria de las Flores

When: August 1 to 10, 2008 (annual)
Where: Medellín

The centre of Medellin bursts into flames of colour and a delicious bouquet of sweet smells during the Flower Fair, the city's most important cultural event.

Colombia is famous for its flowers and exports them all over the world. This annual celebration has been going strong since 1957 and is always held during the first two weeks in August.

One of the highlights of the fair is the Desfile de Silleteros, which sees processions of campesinos move slowly through town with large wooden constructions on their backs, each decorated elaborately with flowers of every colour and fragrance. The crowds get hectic so be prepared for serious elbow work to get a good vantage point. The biggest parade takes place every year on 11 August, which is a local holiday.

December / January

Las Alumbrados

When: Dec - Jan (annual)
Where: Medellín

The Christmas lights decorating Medellin, make it the most beautiful Latin American city in South America over the Christmas period.

The lights are illuminated from mid  December to mid January.

The most impressive parts are centered around the Rio Medellin at the 'puente de Guayaquil'. Large statues made of lights can be found throughout the city.