Culture Medellin + Antioquia news Tourism

Medellín’s Comuna 13 Neighborhood: Global Tourist Destination Despite Violent Past

Medellin Herald February 5, 2026

In 2002 – 24 years ago – Medellín’s San Javier (Comuna 13) neighborhood was a center of extorsion, kidnapping, murders and narco turf wars run by pseudo-communist gangsters including FARC, ELN and the “People’s Armed Commandos,” as well as pseudo-right-wing paramilitaries. Caught in the

Culture Medellin + Antioquia news

Amazing Work of Art in Venecia, Antioquia: Colossal, Folkloric, Quixotic

Medellin Herald December 16, 2023

Medellin-based professional architect Luis Fernando Betancur has over the last 18 years gradually developed what can only be described as an astonishing work of art — delighting thousands of visitors to the Santuario de San Jose church in Venecia, Antioquia (about two-hours-drive southwest of Medellin). This world-record, 260-square-meters work-of-art in the

Culture

Rio Medellin Once Again Shines for Annual Xmas Lights Spectacular

Medellin Herald November 29, 2019

Medellin utilities giant EPM on November 29 relights 27 million LED bulbs for an annual Christmas-season spectacle in several city parks and neighborhoods, as well as light-show designs alongside Rio Medellin — absent in recent years due to “Parques del Rio” construction. The spectacle can be viewed daily from 6:00 p.m. to 12:00 p.m. midnight, […]

Culture

Update: Medellin’s ‘Expoartesano’ Breaks All Records; ‘Colombia Canta’ Show Coming Next

Medellin Herald June 29, 2018

Medellin’s Plaza Mayor convention center today announced that the ninth annual “Expoartesano” show (June 29 through July 8) broke all sales and attendance records, an encouraging signal for growth in demand for native crafts and goods. During the 10-day event, “Expoartesano” drew 39,879 visitors, who spent a total of COP$4.08 billion (US$1.4 million) at the

Culture

Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald: Claudia Gomez’s Lullaby in Birdland Arrives October 21

Medellin Herald October 12, 2017

American jazz aficionados instinctively know that a satisfying performance of a signature classic – as (for example) by the ever-elegant Ella Fitzgerald – must combine clarity, pitch, purity, control, range, richness, understatement and sincerity. However: Nobody will ever sing like Ella again (she died in 1996 at age 79). Even some contemporaries — such as […]

Culture

Annual Flower Festival Once Again Brings Joy, Beauty, Tourism to Medellin

Medellin Herald August 8, 2017

The just-concluded, 60th annual “Desfile de Silleteros” (flower-carriers’ parade) – the culmination of the 10-days-long “Feria de las Flores” (flower festival) – once again showed-off Medellin’s growing attraction for global tourists and an enticement for foreign investment and relocation. This year, John Jairo Grajales Gómez of the “El Porvenir” neighborhood in Medellin’s

Culture

Medellin’s Philharmonic Orchestra Nominated for Latin Grammy

Medellin Herald September 23, 2016

Medellin’s Philharmonic Orchestra (“Filarmed”) announced September 22 that it has been nominated for a Latin Grammy award for “Best Tango Album” for its live recorded performance last year of the iconic ballads that made Carlos Gardel the world’s most-famous tango singer. The Filarmed recorded the ballads during Medellin’s annual Tango Festival along with Argentinian tango

Culture

Medellin International Jazz Festival Launches September 15 to October 8

Medellin Herald September 7, 2016

Medellin’s 20th annual International Jazz Festival launches September 15 featuring top artists including Cuco Valoy, Bobby Valentin, Havana D’Primera and many others. According to festival organizer MedeJazz (see: http://www.festivalmedejazz.com/public_html/), musicians from Italy, Cuba, Dominican Republic, USA, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Brazil and Colombia will take

Culture

Tango in Medellin Continues to Thrive; Salon Malaga, Patio del Tango Local Favorites

Medellin Herald August 31, 2016

Even if you missed the 10th annual Medellin Tango Festival in June (see Medellin Herald on June 15, 2016), you don’t have to book air-fare to Buenos Aires to see some outstanding local and international tango musicians and dancers. Fortunately, Medellin continues to host some of the best local and international tango artists in the […]

Culture

‘Silleteros’ Reveal Spectacular Gardens in Santa Elena Traditional-Flower Contest

Medellin Herald July 22, 2016

Medellin’s 59th annual Desfile de Silleteros (Flower-Carriers Parade) this year is expected to draw more than 800,000 in-person visitors — plus hundreds of thousands of TV viewers — for an event that provokes amazement, tears, elation and pride. But behind this spectacle — this year on Sunday, August 7 — are the gardens cultivated by […]