The Fallas of Valencia. We tell you everything about this magnificent party

When are the Fallas in Valencia?

¿What day do the Valencian Fallas?

The Fallas officially begin the last sunday of february with the crida, y end on March 19 with the Cream.

Although really important days take place from 15 to 19 of March. 

The only public holiday is March 19, Saint Joseph's Day.

If you were wondering when are the Valencia Fallas 2023, now you know. Every year are the same days. 

During these days, people go out into the streets to celebrate and enjoy the spectacular Fallas monuments and firecrackers.

Visit Valencia in Fallas, you will not regret it!

Want to know qué The Fallas of Valencia mean? Where does that party come from? Keep reading 👉

Origin of the Fallas

The origin of the Fallas of Valencia dates back several centuries. The first document that refers to the Fallas is from 1774, although it is thought that they already existed before.

The word "fault" has a meaning. It comes from Latin and means "Torch».

The most popular theory of the origin of the Fallas is that the carpenters' guild lit one purifying bonfire on the eve of its patron saint, San José. 

This was done as a way to get off on the right foot in spring.

As they were carpenters, the bonfire was made with the woods and tackle old men who were no longer useful in their workshops.

The Fallas that we know today are not made of simple pieces of wood, right? They are much more sophisticated and impressive.

Next, we will see how this evolution was.

History of the Fallas

As we have said, at first, these fallas were simply a good luck ritual in the face of spring. It doesn't matter what they put on the bonfires.

But little by little this began to change. She was adding one more aesthetic conception. Some carpenters made simple dolls with the help of the neighbors.

The most daring began to add jokes about the people in the neighborhood.

This satirical approach was a success and has now stuck as a tradition. As the years passed, the Fallas were better worked. 

More and more Valencian artists collaborated in the construction of these transgressive sculptures.

What started years ago with a simple burning of furniture had turned into a new art form? Well yes.

The oldest falla in Valencia are dealt with first, followed by ninots and a topic similar to what is done today, is that of the Santa Catalina square. The first falla in this square was planted in 1820.

The first awards were made in 1895. to the most artistic faults. Due to the fervor that these beautiful fallas aroused, a new profession arose: the Fallas artist.

As of today, if we open un map of faults in Valencia, we can see how some are planted 800 monuments in the city of Valencia and another 400 in the rest of the province, in the Valencian towns.

Some of them are considered true works of art. Best of all, they are free, everyone can see them freely in the streets. Valencia for a few days becomes an open-air museum.

In fact, every year millions of tourists from all over the planet They visit Valencia in March attracted by contemplating these beautiful monuments and experiencing the most beautiful festivals in the world.

Now that you have learned a little about the Fallas and their historyDo you want to discover what is done during these days? Pay attention! 😉

Failure Program

Do you know that the Fallas in Spain Are they considered one of the best parties? And it doesn't surprise us.

El failure program Is one of the most varied and fun that you can find 

The first act of Fallas festival in Valencia takes place on the last Sunday of February, in la Crida. 

Valencians flock to one of the city's most emblematic monuments, the Torres de Serrano. 

Here, the major fallera and the mayor or mayoress of the city give a speech of opening to the faults, or, as they say in Valencian, the Falles of Valencia.

This is the beginning of a maelstrom of street parties in which the fire and noise are the main protagonists.

Some of the most notable events de Valencia in Fallas we have:

• The "mascletàs"
• The fireworks displays.
• The vervains.
• The offering and the parade of the falleros and Valencian Falleras.
• La plant on the day of the ninots.
• La cream.

We assume that you don't understand many of the words we just put. It's because they are in Valencian, that's why they are in italics. 

But don't worry, throughout the article we will explain each of these points in detail and you will understand perfectly what is done in the Fallas of Valencia.

The plant of the faults

We imagine that you can already get an idea of What are the fallas of Valencia?

You know that sculptures are put up all over the city and that they are burned. Let's dig a little deeper into the figures of the fallas of Valencia.

These figures are called ninots. Are the dolls or pieces that make up a fault.

These sculptures are placed in the streets from the 15 de marzo. This day is called the day of the plant.

Are faults put on all the streets of Valencia? Nooo, that would be crazy. People could hardly even walk 😆

Although, as we have said before, the number of fallas of Valencia capital is approximately 800 

That means that practically each neighborhood has its own falla.

The Cream of Fallas

In the Fallas of Valencia, the Cremà It is the farewell to the holidays.

After more than 20 days of fallas festivities, the Fallas always end in the most spectacular and dramatic way at the same time: the burning of the fallas sculptures.

¿When do the fallas burn??

En the night of March 19, all faults burn at once. If you have seen videos or photos of the Fallas of Valencia during the Cremà, you will already know that the sky of Valencia is wrapped in a rain of smoke and ashes.

There are some faults that reach up to 20 meters in height. Can you imagine what the bonfire must be like in these monuments? An authentic spectacle that you have to see at least once in your life.

¿What time are the Fallas in Valencia burned??

The infant fallas are usually burned between 20.00:21.00 p.m. and XNUMX:XNUMX p.m., while the adult fallas are burned between the 22.00 and the 23.00. 

The last failure to burn is always that of the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

At what time do they burn the fault of the Valencia City Council?

As it is the last one, it is usually between the 23.00 and the 00.00.

You may be wondering if Rifts take a long time to catch fire. The truth is that no, some burn in just a few minutes.

To burn them, very powerful firecrackers and gasoline are used, which make the materials that make up the faults burn immediately.

¿What are the fallas of Valencia made of??

The main material used is expanded polystyrene, better known as White cork. 

It is a very malleable material that can take many forms. Besides, it is very flammableThat's why it burns so easily. They also have other flammable materials such as paper, cardboard or wood.

With the Cremà The firecrackers, the festivals, the parades and all the fallas festivities come to an end. Valencia returns to normal.

For many people, seeing the Fallas of Valencia burning it is a very sad moment. 

It's hard to get used to life without Faults again, or rather, to the boring life without Faults 😝

There are not few who cry when they see their ninots favorites melt into the flames. Although luckily, not all disappear.

There are two ninots that they are saved! Are the ninots pardoned. You will soon understand what these are. ninots.

ninot exhibition

La exhibition of ninot it takes place even before the festivities begin. 

In these failures 2023, the exhibition has been open from February 2 in the museum of the City of Arts and Sciences.

And you know what's best? Tomorrow is the last day of the exhibition, so if you still don't know what to do in the Fallas acts today in Valencia… run to visit the exhibition!

Why do we strongly recommend that you see it? Because here the best are exhibited ninots of each failure. 

Each Valencia fault selects his favorite ninot and shows it to the public at the Exhibition of the ninot.

What is the purpose of all this? Save his ninot from the bonfire!

The jury of the Junta Central Fallera and the public that attends the exhibition vote on the ninot they want to be saved. 

Both ninots More voted are taken to Fallas Museum of Valencia and there they will remain forever 🙌🏻´

Those are the ninots pardoned.

Didn't you know that you could vote to save your ninot favorite? How interesting! TRUE?

Fallas pyrotechnic calendar

The Fallas monuments are the basis of these festivities. But, without a doubt, they would not be the same without the firecrackers neither the Fireworks.

Noise and fire are the perfect elements that make the Fallas even more attractive.

During the Fallas, firecrackers are allowed and all citizens can buy them. There are some that are super big and they are actually a bit scary. Although we Valencians are used to it.

The most important fallas acts related to the firecrackers are the mascletàs.

the mascleta

From the 1st of March to the 19th, in the Fallas of Valencia there are mascletà everyday. 

A las 14 pmThousands of people come to the Town Hall Square to enjoy a spectacle of smoke, noise and color. 

During 5 minutes, more than 120 kilos of gunpowder they explode frantically.

Get ready to smell the Fallas and to feel one of the most intense experiences of your life. 

La mascletà in the Fallas of Valencia It is one of the most popular fallas acts.

If you are reading this article and it is not yet 14.00:XNUMX p.m., you still have time to go to the today's mascletá in Valencia 😁

Castles and Nit del Foc

The castles are the other great fallas fireworks. 

In mascletás, the experience is obtained through the noise and the smell of gunpowder.

On the other hand, in the castles the spectacle is much more relaxing, in which the fireworks colors they are the protagonists.

The castles take place from the night of March 15 to the night of the 19. 

Everyone is usually thrown into the riverbed turia river, in the area of Palace of the Arts, about 00.00 at night.

If you only have time to see one, we recommend that you go to the Nit del Foc. This is the last great castle and it is celebrated on the night of March 18.

These fireworks are the longest, lasting between 20 and 30 minutes.

Did you know that the best pyrotechnicians in the world are from Valencia? Now you have no excuses not to go.

At this point, you already know a lot of interesting things. what to see in the Fallas of Valencia 👌

Offering flowers

If you want to be aware of all the current fallera, you can not miss the parades that are made in the historic center of Valencia.

In these parades you will see many falleros with their beautiful traditional costumes accompanied by festive music.

The most beautiful parades of the Fallas of Valencia are in the Flower Offering. The 17 and 18 March. 

On these days all the falleros go to the Plaza de la Virgen and They dress the statue of the Virgen de los Desamparados with flowers. That's why it's called the "Offering flowers».

It is a very interesting and emotional event that you cannot miss if you are around during the date of the Fallas of Valencia.

Award ceremony for the Fallas

In the photo you can see the first prize winning failure of the failures of Valencia 2022. It was the fault Convent of Jerusalem.

Fallas artists work all year long on their fallas. This effort is rewarded with prizes.

There are many types of prizes in the fallas. The most notable are:

• The awards for the Special Section.

These are the prizes awarded to the best fallas. They are the main prizes, awarded to the most beautiful and spectacular fallas.

• Awards Wit and Grace.

These awards are given to the most fun and ingenious fallas.

• Awards for the experimental failures.

Recent years are seeing a boom in experimental glitches. These failures are usually more discreet, but have a strong critical and intellectual message. 

Many times the pieces are abstract and it is difficult to understand the message. It would be something like the contemporary art of fallas.

Is it advisable to see all the failures?

As we have told you before, there is more than 800 fallas throughout Valencia, so it is almost impossible to see them all. 

That is why we are going to help you select. Some most important faults of Valencia they are always around the city center.

But the center of Valencia is very big, so you will have to walk quite a bit if you want to see them all. 

We recommend that you dedicate at least one whole afternoon to walk quietly through the center and enjoy the fallas.

These walks will be a delight, you'll see 😉

Do you want to know what the best fallas in Valencia? We name them!

• Council failure
• Falla Convent of Jerusalem
• Pilar Square Fault
• Cuba-Literato Azorín Falla
• Falla Sueca-Literate Azorín
• Falla Avenida Reino de Valencia – Duc de Calabria
• Falla Almirante Cadarso – Count Altea
• Fail Exposure
• L'Antiga Campanar Fault

These are the fallas that usually receive the best prizes. They have a big budget and some are huge and full of details. They will leave you speechless. 

They receive the names of the streets in which they are located. It won't be hard for you to find them.

Most are for the new downtown area, Ruzafa and Gran Vía.

Children's Fallas Awards

Did you know that fallas artists also make child failures? In fact, each adult falla is accompanied by another child, so there are the same number of adult fallas as children.

¿what are failures childish?

The children's ones differ in that they are much smaller, they surround themselves very easily and do not usually exceed 4 meters in height.

Are intended for childrenThat is why the ninots are usually very pretty and colorful, like something out of a fairy tale.

Here there is not usually as much satirical or ideological message as in adult failures.

However, the fact that they are children's failures does not mean that they are of worse quality. There are children's failures that are true works of art and sometimes even surpass their adult counterparts.

are also delivered Awards for the best children's fallasThe most notable awards are:

• Awards for the Special Children's Section.
• Prizes for Wit and Grace in the Children's Fallas.

Typical foods of the Fallas of Valencia

The food in the Fallas has an essential role. The two delicacies we eat during these holidays are:

• Churros with chocolate
• Fritters with chocolate

During the month of March, the streets of Valencia are filled with roadside stands They sell delicious churros and fritters with hot chocolate.

Don't you know what they are? We tell you!

Churros with chocolate

Churros are a fried dough made of water, flour, oil and salt. They are shaped like ties or canes. 

The classic churro is like that, although there are also those filled with cream, dulce de leche, chocolate... or coated in sugar or chocolate.

The combination of churros with a cup of hot chocolate it is simply masterful, your sense of taste will thank you forever.

you can't make a trip to the Fallas of Valencia without trying them.

Fritters with chocolate

Fritters are something similar, but the fried flour dough takes on a round shape and bulky. This is achieved by adding a padding of milk, egg or yeast.

We can't think of a better plan than savoring some delicious fritters with hot chocolate after a long day of walking around the Fallas. 

As you can imagine, these foods are not at the bottom of the food pyramid. 😆

But Valencian Fallas They are only one week a year so… enjoy!

Fallera suits

As in all ancient festivals, the Fallas of the Valencian Community  they have their traditional clothing; the fallas costumes for both men and women.

El fallera costume of woman is the most impressive. 

This suit consists of a fitted bodice decorated with an embroidered shawl decorated with gold thread that is placed over the shoulders and covers the back in the shape of a triangle. 

It is finished with a bow that matches the colors of the suit fabric. Most impressive is the skirt that takes on a bell shape gathered at the waist and covered with an apron. 

The skirt fabric and bodice are made of gold-embroidered silk fabric that forms flower patterns. 

Without a doubt, it is an impressive traditional dress, one of the richest and most beautiful in Spanish culture.

El fallera suit It is usually decorated with floral motifs and can have different accessories, such as jewelry, combs and mantillas.

fallero costume

El men's fallero costume called «clothing of saragüells».

The costume has a long-sleeved white shirt and a vest made of the same fabric as the fallera costumes. 

The pants are baggy and reach the knee. Called «calcons». They also wear white stockings made of yarn and are shod with espardenyes (a type of footwear typical of the region). 

The costume is usually decorated with scarves, laces and jewels, and is completed with a sash tied at the waist.

Fallera bodices

The fallera bodices They are a very important element of the typical costume of the falleras.

The bras are a kind of Corsica that fits the body and is combined with the skirt and the other accessories that we have described above. 

There are bodices of different colors and models, this is what most marks the difference between the different fallera costumes.

fallas museum

If you are interested in everything we are telling you, in the Museum of the Fallas of Valencia you will enjoy like a child.

This museum houses a large collection of ninots pardons for decades. Those who are saved from the stake, you can see them here!

It also shows the traditional Valencian clothing and other party-related items such as bands, photographs, and posters of the Fallas of Valencia ancient. 

In addition, the museum has a section dedicated to the history and evolution of the Fallas throughout time, from its origins to the present. 

The museum also has a specialized library on issues related to Fallas.

It is in the Montolivet Square, very close to the City of Arts and Sciences.

You can enter the Museum of the Fallas in Valencia for a price 2 euros or free on Sundays or holidays. 

What are you waiting for? You have to visit it now! 😁

party elements

In addition to everything mentioned, there are other very important elements in the Fallas. 

These elements are especially crucial for good organization and execution of these parties These elements are:

• The Fallas Central Board
• The failing commissions
• The fallas artists

Central Board Fallera

La Central Board Fallera It was created in 1939. The venue is next to the Fallero Museum.

It is the body that is in charge of regulate and organize the Fallas festival in the province of Valencia and in some of its localities.

Organize the main acts of the party, like the Offering of Flowers to the Virgin. 

Other functions it performs are resource management necessary for the realization of the party, the supervision of fallas commissions and promotion of the festival nationally and internationally. 

In addition, it also selects each year the Fallera Mayor of Valencia y awards the prizes to the best fallas of all categories.

La Fallera Mayor of Valencia She is the young woman chosen to represent the Fallas throughout the province. there is also a children's major fallera.

Each year a different major fallera is chosen.

¿What falla is the Fallera Mayor of Valencia from this year 2023? This year the Fallera Mayor is from the L'Antiga Campanar fault.

Y What falla is the Fallera Mayor Infantil of Valencia from?? It is from the Azcárraga-Fernando el Católico fault.

The failing commissions

The failing commissions They are another of the pillars for the operation of these festivities.

They are groups of people collaborate in the construction of a fault. 

Each Falla is sustained by its Fallas commission. Thanks to these commissions, the money is obtained to build the ninots and have parties in their married. 

Anyone can be part of a fallas commission. To do this, you simply have to pay an amount of money monthly or annually.

Surely in some streets you have seen people who wear a same color jacket, celebrate inside some huge tents white and sing some song of the Fallas of Valencia.

They seem to be having a great time right?

There are fallas that really have many subscribers, also called falleros.

These are the ones that can afford to create the biggest and most impressive faults.

Some even organize outdoor parties with night-time street parties y orchestras.

What is the fails with more falleros from Valencia? To this day, the commission fails Glory-Happiness-Tremolar It is the one that has the most falleros with 1180 subscribers.

Throughout the city of Valencia there are almost 93.500 falleros 😯

Such a high number reflects how important the Fallas are to us.

Fallas artists

By now you know who they are. Fallas artists. Thanks to them every year we can enjoy the beautiful Fallas monuments.

The first fallas artists arose at the end of the 19th century, between 1870 and 1890.

The fallas artists design, make and assemble ninots of the failures. They also think about the issue of failure and add a sense of humor. 

What a beautiful profession! Don't you think?

In addition, there are other guilds that work in the creation of fallas such as carpenters, painters, sculptors or designers.

In the Valencian Community it is estimated that there are around 400 workshops dedicated to the creation of fallas with fallas artists.

As you can imagine, there is a lot of money invested in the Fallas. 

¿How much does a Falla de Valencia cost?? cost varies greatly depending on the size, complexity and materials used in its construction. 

The biggest flaws can cost hundreds of thousands of euros, while the smallest failures can cost several thousand euros.

The most expensive fault in history was that of Nou Campanar in 2008. It cost 900.000 euros!

Las Fallas as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Before closing the article, we wanted you to know that the Fallas are a World Heritage Site.

From year 2016 the Fallas de Valencia are Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity awarded by the UNESCO.

Therefore, these festivals are considered not only of national interest, but also international .

We do not hesitate if we say that the Fallas are one of the best parties around the world. 

And you know what? In Valencia it is also Hispania, escuela de español… the best Spanish school in the world! 

We do not say it, but the multitude of institutions that have given us that recognition for consecutive years.

On our face-to-face Spanish courses and our online Spanish courses you can learn Spanish while enjoying the Fallas in Valencia. 

Has this article helped you better understand what Fallas are? 

Do you already have your fallas plans? What failures would you like to see?

Post a comment and let's talk! 😉

Article written by Carlos Martínez for Hispania, escuela de español.