r a week in mid-March. It originally started in the mid 1700s to celebrate St. Josephs day on March 19th. Starting weeks before the festival, people light fire crackers in the streets, and the streets getting lined with lights. March 1st marks the beginning of the festivities, the city holds mascletas, a display of firecrackers and explosions in broad daylight at 2pm every afternoon.
As the festivities grow closer, each neighborhood
sets up fallas or monuments representing everything from satirical jabs at social cultures, to historical events, and compete against each other in different categories. Each of the fallas we saw were very unique and creative in their own way, and took a year to design and create the masterpieces made of Styrofoam and wood.
Before the week of Las Fallas, more and more people arrive in the city of Valencia to get ready for the festivities. The main events occur between March 15-19, including nightly fireworks, and parades with people wearing amazing, intricately decorated, traditional costumes. On the 17th and 18th, from 4pm to nightfall, a floral offering to our lady of the forsaken. Finally, at midnight on
March 19th, a massive bonfire takes place, and all of the fallas are set on fire (la crema), starting with the childrens fallas, and ending with the prize winning displays. For the burning of the fallas, they had firefighters spraying water on the trees and buildings around the fire to keep them from burning.
This was one of the craziest festivals I have seen a city put together. It takes a year, and millions of euros, to prepare for each Las Fallas Festival, and totally worth all the effort. If you ever get the chance to be in Valencia in March, definitely stay for this awesome festival!
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