March 2008 Archive

The Fallas

The fiesta of Las Fallas is one of Valencias most famous. This fiesta began hundreds of years ago with carpenters who worked by candle light in the dark winter nights. In the 18th century the carpenters would make figures and dress them, paint their faces and, to celebrate St. Joseph·s day , 19th March, burn them, and have bon fires. By the 18th century the figures had begun to imitate local people and the villagers built platforms where they placed the figures. As the people became more inventive the figures were made into scenes, and made fun of local famous people.

The town of Valencia is where most of the fallas are shown, and today there are over 300 of them dotted around the whole town. The fiesta begins at the beginning of March with a firework display and there is a display every day around 2.0 p.m. On the 17th and 18th March there are flower displays from 4.0 p.m. onwards and thousands of Valencians take part in the procession carrying flowers There are firework displays on the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th at 1.0 a.m. in the old riverbed in Valencia. On the 19th March, the last day of the fiesta, all the fallas are burnt, starting at l0.0 p.m. with the children·s fallas and the last one is burnt in the town hall square at 01.00 a.m. Throughout this fiesta there are many processions, concerts, and balloon games.

It is possible to go on a coach tour for the day to see the fallas, these are advertised in local papers or the Tourist Office would have information.

The nearest and less tiring way to see the fallas is a visit to Denia. Here again, these are dotted all around the town, and there are similar processions and fireworks. Details can be obtained from the Tourist Office in Denia. There is a large car park at the top of the town, near the Mercadona roundabout and it is advisable to park here and walk as the town gets very crowded and parking can be a problem.