• The Traditional Silleta: It is an icon that represents the old silletas used by peasants to transport their products. It usually measures 80-90 centimeters and they can carry up to 50 kilos flowers on it.
• The Emblematic Silleta: The design can be flat or three-dimensional and they seek to bring civic, educational or religious messages to the population.
• The Monumental Silleta: They are the largest silletas, reaching up to 2 x 2 meters. In this category, creativity has no limits as they constitute true works of art. Shapes, colors, and textures are mixed.
• The Commercial Silleta: They are authentic mobile advertising pieces, sponsored by companies that want to participate in the parade.

The Flowers Festival has roots in local Christian tradition. Though Colombia does not have an official religion, Roman Catholicism is the dominant faith and deeply culturally pervasive. At the beginning of the 20th century, in the month of May with the arrival of spring, it was common for homes and altars of churches to be decorated with native flowers in honor of the Virgin Mary. In 2017, the Pope, the head of the Catholic church, was met with over a million visitors on his visit to the city.
The production and export of flowers in the region employs thousands of workers. More than 235,000 tons of flowers are exported amongst 1600 different specie, with a value of approximately $279 million.

In 1999, the festival reached 482 silleteros participants. The 2006 edition also featured a new category of silleteros. Maria Isabel Lopez, spokeswoman for the Convention Center Bureau of Madrid, described this new category: "these are the Pioneers, who will show all their Silletas making experience, but will not participate in the contest." Some 50 peasants carried the silletas; 260 featuring traditional arrangements, 50 brandishing advertisements and 28 from the new Pioneer category. Keeping with tradition, the Mayor of Medellín sponsored the awards of the contest. In 2006, there were a total of 260 awards, selected and given by three juries.