La Fallas Festival in València, Spain
A parade of very elaborate floats and efigies made of wood and paper mache are made only to be burned at the end of the festival in València. Yet another once in a lifetime (bucketlist) event, Las Fallas Festival in Valencia was declared and event of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO (similar in importance to Castells). Each year, 800 Fallas festival monuments are erected in 400 different locations. They are classified into different categories based on their complexity, size and other factors. There are separate categories for children and adult entries.
Spanish festivals are something that everyone should take part in at least once in their lifetime whether they are religious, music or sporting in nature. Las Fallas Festival is a city wide tradition of art and satire that rivals New Orleans’ iconic Mardi Gras festivities and in 2023 it returns to València from March 1st until March 19th.
Tourists will observe non-stop celebrations as locals march behind their fallas monuments – which are distinctive and colorful constructions made by neighborhood teams – while cooking paella on the streets, listening to lively music and setting off fireworks. It is a vibrant and energetic event with a lot of history and tradition, that will undoubtedly make any traveler’s vacation one to remember.
As one of the three UNESCO Heritage designations in the city, Las Fallas is an annual tradition celebrated in honor of Saint Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters. The festival first began hundreds of years ago, when València’s carpenters would burn old remnants from their workshops to commemorate the end of winter and give a warm welcome to spring.
Although the celebration has evolved over the years, Las Fallas has preserved its history and rituals. Since then, around 800 giant sculptures – which range from large satirical pieces to small representations of current affairs – are set a flame in large bonfires. These magnificent works of art, produced by the guild of Fallas artists, are typically burned in the company of musicians, pyrotechnics, costumes and florists.
During Las Fallas Festival, visitors have the thrilling chance to discover the customs and cultures of València. Visitors will be in awe of the fallas that line the streets of València and will marvel as the gunpowder is lit and the fire festivities blaze. It is just as important to admire the art and significance as it is to witness the thrill of watching them burn on the night of March 19.
“It is an honor for Valencia to be recognized for one of our most special celebrations,” said Emiliano García Domene, Councilor for Tourism and Internationalization of the City of Valencia. “Las Fallas festival is an opportunity for travelers to integrate themselves into our culture and appreciate why this event is truly a staple for guests seeking dynamic destinations offering authenticity, festivities, adventure, and overall unique experiences.”
While Las Fallas is an ongoing festival, there are seven key events that travelers should look out for to observe the full Valencian experience:
1. La Mascletà: Every neighborhood in the city holds its own Mascletà at 2:00 p.m. each day of the festival, which is a tremendously noisy but incredibly energetic show of firecrackers that can reach up to 120 decibels.
2. La Plantà (March 15): This is the event in which the fallas are constructed and finished in anticipation of the celebration. Each neighborhood in València enters a monument into a competition in the hopes that it will be chosen as the winner—or the ninot indultat, which is the sole monument that is saved from the burning on the final day and is preserved in the neighborhood’s Museum Fallero.
3. Award Giving Ceremony (March 17): During this event, women dress up in exquisite, vintage silk outfits. They are known as falleras, and each year two are chosen to serve as Fallera Mayor or “Fallas Queen.”
4. Nit del Foc (March 18): which directly translates to “Fire Night,” is the fourth night and the night of the spectacular fireworks display, commencing at 1:30 a.m.
5. Cavalcada del Foc (March 19): The festival’s final day kicks off at 7:00 p.m. with the Cavalcada del Foc, a vibrant fire parade featuring floats, street performances, people dressed in costumes, and upbeat music.
6. La Ofrenda (March 17-18): The entire city gathers in the plaza for La Ofrenda, or the flower offering, to participate in the floral tribute to València’s patron saint, the Virgen de los Desamparados. The Virgen statue is put on a pedestal, which is then draped in flowers to resemble a cape. The plaza is a sight to behold towards the end of the day, covered in blossoms and releasing a wonderful aroma from the thousands of flowers that have been offered.
7. La Cremà (March 19) serves as the grand finale, when all the fallas are ignited in a spectacular show that finishes in a mound of ashes. Las Fallas Festical in Valencia goes out with a bang!
No one seems to do festivals in Spain as well as those in Valencia. Tourists who are unable to participate in the popular fire festival this year are invited to visit the nearby Museum Fallero to view the winning artwork and discover more about the celebration. To learn more about València’s Tourism Board, please go to www.visitvalencia.com/en.
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Thanks to Valencia Tourism for providing the press release and the images for these post. Valencia Tourism granted permission to use images.
Margarita Ibbott is a travel and lifestyle blogger. She blogs about travel in Canada, the United States and Europe giving practical advice through restaurant, hotel and attraction reviews. She writes for DownshiftingPRO.com and other online media outlets.