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The "Yipao" Parade (Desfile del Yipao) is one of the central events of the Cuyabras Festivals, which are held every October to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of Armenia.
With this event, the inhabitants of the capital of Quindío pay tribute to the iconic "Jeep Willy", the flagship vehicle of the coffee-growing regions of Colombia.
The Willys MB was designed during World War II to respond to the need of the US Army to provide its troops with a light vehicle capable of responding on any type of terrain.
In the following decades, a large number of examples of the civil version of this car were brought to Colombia, where it quickly became the favorite vehicle of coffee growers due to its power, double transmission and easy maintenance.
Currently the popular "Yipao Parade", in which more than 100 vehicles participate, is characterized by its different categories in which the creativity and skill of the drivers are tested: tinkering, in which the vehicles are loaded with the largest amount possible items such as furniture, kitchen implements and even pets; agricultural products, free category and the popular category of pick-ups in which drivers perform maneuvers to make the vehicle rise on its rear axle.
This event not only celebrates the ingenuity and work of the farmers of the Coffee Region, but has also become a very important tourist attraction, attracting thousands of visitors and strengthening the cultural identity of the region.
