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Las Fallas is held every year from 15 - 19 March in the city of Valencia. It's a huge international event when the entire city erupts into four days of what can only be described as amazing FUN. The streets are closed and the partying begins!
To the great merriment of all huge wooden cardboard and papier-mâché figures (known as fallas), are erected all over the city. This is all done very tongue-in-cheek as the figures satirically portray political and well-known artists.
Origins & Timetable of Festival
The festival is said to have originated around the end of the 16th century when local carpenters burnt left over wood that had accumulated over the year. The festival is also in honor of San José, the patron saint of carpenters.- The festival begins on the last Sunday in February outside Torres de Serranos in Barrio del Carmen with La Crida. Music and fireworks and the fallas queen mark the official opening of this truly amazing festival.
- La 'Mascleta' are firework displays which are held every day in Plaza del Ayuntamiento until the 19 March.The city celebrates Las Fallas Valencia with the daily ritual of the Mascleta at 2pm. Everything in the city stops for ten minutes and all you can hear is the deafening sound of gunpowder which is what the Mascleta is.
- Nightly Firework displays are a ritual and can be seen in the Turia Gardens (old Turia riverbed). At midnight on 18 March the nightly firework displays culminate in what is called Nit del Foc (Night of Fire) and the festival itself culminates in the burning of the Fallas on the 19 March, San José's day. At the stroke of midnight la créma (the burning) begins. Plaza del Ayuntamiento becomes like a huge fire-ball with huge flames leaping into the air from the burning of the fallas. All that very hard work and money very quickly goes up in smoke and the lovely fallas are reduced to ashes! A few of the winning smaller versions of the fallas - 'ninots' - are saved and kept in Museo Fallero - Fallas Museum, Placa Monte-olivete, 4 which is opposite the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences.
An important part of Las Fallas includes the fabulous dresses which many of the Valencian women and children
Around ninety thousand Valencian women and girls called falleras (men are referred to as falleros) carry bouquets of red carnations and roses (some white) to the Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados - Basilica of the Virgin of the Forsaken. The flowers are then magically woven into a beautiful mantel which covers the Virgin.
Las Fallas wouldn't be complete without the gastronomic delights of the region. Tantalizing dishes such as paella Valenciana, buñelos (small doughnuts made from pumpkin - dipped into hot thick chocolate) and churros (fritters) are available on every street corner.
Horchaterias, bars, restaurants and clubs are full to overflowing with people enjoying the most amazing festival ever. The only problem is that hotels fill up very quickly so it's definitely worth booking your hotel well in advance if you don't want to miss the truly amazing Las Fallas.
For a taste of what's to come, check out the webcam images and photos on their website at www.fallas.com
Well worth a visit is the Fallas Museum at Plaza de Monteolivete, 4 - Tel: 96 352 54 78 (Ext. 4625) Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10 - 14.00 and 16:30-20:30/Sundays and festivals 10-15.00/Monday Closed.
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