In Panama, there is an event that generates a huge amount of Visits to the province of Chiriqui for its great variety of flowers, beautiful nature and cultural activities…this is the Boquete Flower and Coffee Fair. An event that grows in tourists and exhibitions with each passing year.
History of the Fair
This fair dates back to the 1950s when a group of Boquete residents led by agronomist Carlos Enrique Landau took the initiative to create the Boquete Flower Fair. This event of great significance for the highland region was created in order to highlight one of the areas that has great tourism potential and for the district to have a nationwide exposure. One of the purposes was to highlight and make known what was done in Boquete, the quality of the coffee, to show the variety of flowers and gardens that flourish easily and adorn the entire environment, as well as the native crafts.
A Beginning Full of Adversities
At the beginning, the fair was an intermittent event that was held only when the community organized itself to hold it. From 1950 to 1969 the Coffee Festival, as it was called then, was only held four times (1950, 1957, 1961 and 1969).
However, on April 9, 1970, one day before the opening of the fifth festival, the district was affected by severe floods where one in three citizens lost their homes. Faced with this adversity, the Boqueteños, far from giving up, decided a year later (1971) to permanently establish an exhibition that would show the country the best of their flowers and coffee. For this fair, infrastructure were built to embellished the town and the queen was Miss Brenda Aguilar, and where the Domingo Medica park was the scene of the festivity.
In 1973, the festival became the Flowers and Coffee Fair and from that year until 1991 it was held in the month of April. However, at the beginning of the 90’s the date of this festivity was changed to January, in order to take advantage of the dry season. Since that year, the fair began to be held for 10 days.
One of the Best Fairs in Panama
The organization and execution of this event is so big that it takes extensive planning along with the preparation of the gardens that takes place at the beginning of May. These gardens are the main attraction offered by the Flower and Coffee Fair, located on the banks of the Caldera River. Every year various varieties of flower seeds are purchased from the United States, Canada and France, to present a lucid event each year.
The Flower and Coffee Fair is open throughout the year, organizing and planning the Fair event that takes place every year in January, in addition to this the Expo Orquideas is held, which takes place in the month of March and April, to highlight the beauty of this beautiful plant.
Gastronomy, Crafts and Activities
This fair offer visitors its most important ingredient…the hospitality of its people. However, during the event you can buy handicrafts (national and foreign), plants of many varieties, sweets, and countless products and services.
There is also the participation of national and foreign exhibitors who during each fair event delight with their various exhibitions.
Celebrating 51 years
The 2024 Boquete Flower and Coffee Fair will be from January 11 to 21 in its 51 version. The event that traditionally opens the calendar of fairs in Panama is already confirmed and with high expectations. The gardens are already planted; sprouted with many of the flower varieties that the public loves to see exhibited.
This fair is one of the most important economic injections for the Boqueteño district in terms of employment generation, tourism, as well as the use of multiple services such as lodging, food, among others. The most important tourism product in Chiriqui and one of the most valuable in the entire country.
