Five things not to miss at Valencia’s Las Fallas Festival

Satirical and fanciful monuments or fallas, are the hallmarks of Las Fallas festival, photo courtesy of Turismo Valencia.

In early March, the smell of gunpowder floats through the palm tree-lined streets of Valencia, Spain, signalling the start of Las Fallas Festival. Dating back to the Middle Ages when the arrival of spring was marked with bonfires and offerings, Las Fallas celebrates Spanish tradition with fireworks, monuments, flowers, music and lots of flames. The festival also honors St. Joseph or San Jose, who protects Valencia and whose feast day is March 19. The heart of the festivities kick off March 15–19, when every corner of Valencia is consumed with the massive displays. Here’s what to watch for:

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1. Mascleta

Fire crackers in preparation for the Las Fallas tradition of Mascleta, courtesy of Turismo Valencia.

Loosely translated as “concert of gunpowder,” the Mascleta features firecrackers and explosions that roar through the Plaza del Ayuntamiento at 2pm every day during the festival. The end of the Mascleta is called terremoto, when hundreds of firecrackers explode simultaneously.

2. Traditional Costumes

Women in traditional dress at Las Fallas Festival

Las Fallas showcases Valencia history on many levels and one of the most colorful examples are the intricate traditional costumes that locals wear throughout the fest. The garments are handmade and the cheapest cost around 15,00 euros.

3. Towering Monuments

Gigantic sculptures are a major part of Las Fallas , courtesy of Turismo Valencia.

Over the course of the year, neighborhood artists work to construct huge wooden monuments covered with papier mache called Fallas, which usually reflect a satirical take on local or national themes. These intricate artworks are burned on March 19, except for one figure or ninot, from each Falla that’s voted to be saved and displayed in the Fallas Museum.

4. Flower Offerings

The presentation of flowers to the monument of the Virgin Mary, courtesy of Turismo Valencia.

The patron saint of Valencia is Our Lady of the Forsaken and on March 17 and 18th, all the city’s falleros and falleras (people who helped create a Falla) will parade into the Plaza de la Virgen to make an offering of flowers to her or Offrenda de Flores. A sky high tapestry of all the flowers is created in front of the basilica and a mantle is created for Our Lady of the Forsaken.

5. Street Eats

Traditional pumpkin fritters and chocolate, courtesy of Rosalind Cummings-Yeates

Throughout Las Fallas, stalls serving traditional foods fill the streets. A treat specific to the festival is bunelos de calabaza or pumpkin fritters, accompanied with rich chocolate. These balls of fried dough are served warm and usually washed down with sweet horchata, a creamy drink made from tiger nuts. You’ll also see churros filled with cream, which are long sticks of fried dough, sold on street corners.

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