Do you like noise, fireworks and fire?
If you are one of those who are not afraid of these elements, this Spanish celebration is undoubtedly yours.
Do you know the Valencian Fallas?
If you don’t know them, don’t worry because today we are going to talk about the best-known festival of the month of March, Las Fallas Valencianas.
We will also give you some advice so that you can enjoy these festivities like an authentic Valencian.
Origin of the Fallas of Valencia:
We begin by learning how the Fallas began, the most widespread version tells us that in the Middle Ages, Valencian carpenters celebrated a festival or ritual in honor of their patron saint, San José, on March 19. The ritual consisted of burning the remains of their work and the lamps with which they were illuminated. Little by little this custom grew and the Ninots were created from the remains, which are the figures that you can see throughout the city during these festivities.
The first documented reference to this festival is in the year 1774, and it has been held until then, although it has been suspended only six times, due to various wars including the Spanish Civil War and in 2020 due to Covid-19.
Currently, the Fallas of Valencia are one of the best-known festivals in the country and outside of it, it has been declared of International Tourist Interest and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Without a doubt, it is a great plan if you want to visit Spain during the month of March.
Some basics concepts:
Before seeing what these parties are like, let’s see some basic concepts:
- Fallera Commission: They are the ones who organize the fallas in the different neighborhoods. They are in charge of the construction, the celebration of the festivities and the cultural and social activities that are also carried out the rest of the year.
- Falla: It is the artistic ensemble that is burned on the day of the cremà, on March 19. The set can measure up to 30 meters and are built with flammable materials such as wood, cardboard, fabrics, polyurethane… They have a critical and satirical character on current issues that have been of interest during the year. There are smaller infant fallas.
- Ninot: They are smaller figures that surround the main sculpture. During the festivities there is a contest and every year a figure is pardoned, which means that this figure does not burn along with the falla on the day of the cremà. You can see these figures in the Fallero Museum.
The mascletà (March 1 to 19)
Las Fallas de Valencia is celebrated between March 1 and 19, although the most intense days are those close to the patron saint’s day, from March 15 to 19.
The party begins on March 1, in the Town Hall Square at 2:00 p.m. it begins with a gunpowder show called the mascletá, it is an act where the city government and the Fallas commissions elect the Senior and Child Fallera and gives way with this act to the holidays. From this day on you can stop by the Town Hall at the same time to enjoy it. The mascletá is a show highly valued by the Valencians, a pyrotechnic show that lasts about 7 minutes and can reach 120 decibels. One piece of advice that some Valencians have given me is to open your mouth or eat gum during the event.
La Plantà (March 15 and 16)
It takes place during the early morning from the 15th to the 16th, it is the night with the most work for the falleros, they have to plant, that is, build the Falla so that the jury goes on the morning of the 16th to reward the best fallas and choose the Ninot that They are going to pardon the fire of the Cremà.
Awards ceremony March 17
During the morning of the 17th, the Fallas commissions carry out a parade from their neighborhoods to the City Hall where the prizes are awarded. The awards have a child and adult modality and are divided into different categories.
Castles and Nit del Foc March 15 to 19
Like the mascletá in the Fallas in Valencia there are also activities at night, from the 15th the nights of Valencia are filled with light and color with the fireworks displays on the Paseo de la Alameda starting at 12 in the evening.
At dawn from the 18th to the 19th, Valencians celebrate the Nit del Foc, the night of fire, an impressive fireworks display that you cannot miss if you go to Las Fallas.
Also during these days there are different activities such as the Ninots horseback riding, it is best to look at the activities program, here you can see the program for this year 2023.
Offering of flowers March 17 and 18
Like many Spanish festivals, the Fallas in Valencia also have a relationship with religion. On these two days, the Fallas commissions parade from their neighborhoods to the Plaza de la Virgen de los Desamparados, patron saint of Valencia, to make a floral offering. With the branches a mantle to the Virgin of about 15 meters is composed. It is a highly recommended visit.
The Cream March 19
It is the big day of the Fallas in Valencia, all the child and adult fallas must burn on this day. You can make a route to go from falla to falla and enjoy like a true Valencian. The cremà begins at 8 in the afternoon with the children’s fallas and around 10 at night the big fallas, except for the first prize that is burned at 10:30. Las Fallas ends when the Falla del Ayuntamiento burns at 11 pm.
A few years ago with Manuela, we were talking about the Fallas. If you want to remember this direct you have the video below.
Advice from Valencian teachers
I have taken advantage of my contacts with Amparo from Bilinguas and Manuela from Manuela Insegnane Spagnola, so that they can give us some advice as the good Valencians that they are.
There they go!
- Keep in mind that in Fallas people throw a lot of firecrackers and it seems that there is a war. You won’t stop hearing explosions. So if you were thinking of traveling with your dog or any pet, it is better that you visit the city on other dates because with the firecrackers the animals have a very hard time.
- The same happens if you go with children or people who can’t stand noise for different reasons, they will have a very bad time. It is a very noisy party, there is no silence at any time between the gunpowder shows, concerts, parades, mobile discs…
- Dress in comfortable clothes, especially shoes because you will be walking a lot.
- Although in Fallas the metro is usually open 24 hours a day, you will see that almost all the big Fallas are in the center and therefore you will go from one to the other on foot.
- Use the metro or tram or go on foot. Forget about the car and the motorcycle because there are many closed streets.
- You will only be able to enjoy the party as a spectator, unless you have a friend from the Fallas who invites you to participate from within the party.
- Get a map of the main Fallas. The main ones are those in the Special section and they are usually the most beautiful and also the most visited. So, there will surely be a lot of people and in some you will have to queue or follow the crowd to see them. It is best to go in the morning, before going to the Mascletà, which is held every day at 2:00 p.m. in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento
- On the 17th and 18th you can leave the afternoon to see the procession of the Fallas Commissions bringing flowers to the Virgen de los Desamparados and come to see how they are making the Virgin’s shawl. If you are going to stay until after Fallas, you can go to see the finished work on the 20th with fewer people and more peace of mind.
- In the afternoon, when it gets dark, you can visit some of the best-lit streets. Find out about the schedules of the light and music shows. They usually start at 20:30 and repeat them during the night.
- At night in some parts of the city they hold festivals open to everyone (others are private tents for the Fallas commissions). Normally in the Ruzafa area you can enjoy music and party.
- Although in the official programming it says that the Fallas are burned on March 19 at 10:00 p.m. and that of the City Hall at 11:00 p.m., you will see that this is not the case. Think that although there are many firefighters and reinforcements from other places also arrive, some smaller faults have to wait and turn on their fault when the firefighters arrive. So, if you are going to see the City Hall burn, then you can take a walk around the center to see other smaller ones burn.
- Watch your belongings, these days the number of police increases but there is a lot of crowding in the streets. Be careful!
- Finally, two tips to be a true Valencian, eat churros and fritters, away from the city center you will be calmer and buy firecrackers!!! So you can participate in this noisy party a little more.
Well, what did you think of this month’s article? I wanted to run to the Fallas and I think I arrived on time for the Mascletà!
I hope you liked it, I will continue writing about more cultural aspects of Spain. If you want you can leave me a comment about a tradition or party that catches your attention and you want to know more about it.
And you have gone to Valencia? Do you know the Fallas? tell me in comments
Hi, I’m Carmen, the teacher at Carmele Español Online. You can learn more about me by clicking here.
These articles are created for you to learn more about Spanish culture. Learning a language is not just connecting words, using a certain structure, for me it is getting to know its culture, enjoying its gastronomy…
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