For those familiar with the charming coastal town of Valencia, Spain, one thing is clear: the city certainly has a knack for throwing lively celebrations.
Every March, Valencia hosts Las Fallas, a five-day festival filled with fireworks, dancing, and ornate, over-the-top statues that draw millions of visitors each year. These towering, float-sized depictions of whimsical scenes, known as fallas in Spanish, parade through busy streets in the shape of dancing monkeys and colorful storybook characters.
But what makes Las Fallas so unique is the final event: after months of designing these incredible works of art, the city sets them on fire. It’s shocking and mesmerizing all at once.
This lively celebration is truly one-of-a-kind. Below, we’ll take a detailed look at the history behind this centuries-old festival and uncover everything you need to know about the five-day affair. Plus, if you’re planning a trip to see the fallas in person, you’ll find a detailed list of must-know tips!
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The history behind Las Fallas
Like many holidays in Spain, Las Fallas evolved from both Catholic and early Pagan traditions. Las Fallas celebrates Saint Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters and the earthly father of Jesus of Nazareth, according to Christian tradition.
Most believe that Las Fallas began in the Middle Ages when artisans celebrated the spring equinox by burning broken pieces of wood that they saved throughout the winter. The theory goes that the church moved the dates of the celebration to coincide with the feast of Saint Joseph due to its ties to carpentry—there are many such Christian holidays with Pagan origins!
Over time, people marked the day by burning wooden parots dressed in clothing to look like tiny people. Children often went door to door in their neighborhoods to ask for spare wood and fabric to build them. Later, neighborhoods came together to create effigies called fallas and small wooden people called ninots to burn in the ceremony. The construction became increasingly elaborate over time—hence how the festival got its name!
When and where is Las Fallas celebrated?
Las Fallas is mainly celebrated in the city of Valencia, Spain. The five days of the celebration are from March 15th through 19th, but fireworks can start as early as March 1st!
Though not as popular with tourists, Valencia’s neighboring towns also have traditions that coincide with Las Fallas. The Bonfires of Saint John in Alicante and Fiestas de la Magdalena in Castellón de la Plana both celebrate the Fiestas de la Magdalena, held the week before Las Fallas!
Key elements of Las Fallas Celebrations
Now that you understand the where, when, and why of Las Fallas, there are a couple elements to note before diving into the festival schedule. Let’s take a look.
Falleras mayores
From Homecoming Queen to May Queen, many festivals have a ruling matriarch—typically elected—to preside over the festivities. During Las Fallas, a fallera mayor (Fallas Queen) is elected by a jury to represent the spirit of the festival and the city. This individual is always a member of the local Fallas committee, known locally as falleros/falleras, and is heavily involved in the festival planning.
The fallera mayor is accompanied by a festival princess, known as the fallera mayor infantil, who is similarly chosen to represent the children of the fallero/fallera community.
Because Las Fallas is so sprawling, there are multiple Fallas committees, each with their own fallera mayor and royal court! A citywide fallera mayor is also elected every year to represent falleros and falleras across the city. Falleras are easy to spot during the festivities, as they wear traditional dresses made of lace and silk while donning hair set in three distinct moños (buns).
Ninots
The fallas may be the stars of the show, but ninots are the can’t-miss supporting players. Fitting easily in the palm of your hand, they’re much smaller than fallas, echoing the figures that inspired them centuries ago.
From fictional characters to public figures, these ninots—a word that comes from the Valencian word for “puppets”—are usually comedic in nature. On the final night of the crema, attendees vote to choose which ninot will be pardoned from burning. At the Valencia museum, you can see the uninterrupted lineage of pardoned ninots dating back to 1934!
Las Fallas Festival Schedule
It’s a busy five-day schedule, and in true Spanish style, you’ll want to make sure you’re fitting in naps when you can. Between the Despertà wake-up call after sunrise and the 1am fireworks shows, this non-stop festival is quite the ride.
- Daily: La Despertà
- Daily: Mascletà
- March 15: La Crida
- March 15 – 16: La Plantà
- March 16: Las Fallas competition
- March 17-18: Ofrenda de Flores de Fallas
- March 18: Nit-Del-Foc
- March 19: Cavalcada del Foc
- March 19: La Cremà
Daily: La Despertà
Trying to sleep in during Las Fallas? Nice try. Every morning, just after sunrise, the falleros and falleras take to the streets with drums, firecrackers, a full brass band, and the strength of their own voices. Despertà translates to “wake-up call,” and with good reason—there’s no sleeping through this parade.
While some may find this to be an off-putting tradition, Las Fallas is Valencia’s biggest festival of the year. At least no one can say they missed it!
Daily: Mascletà
Fireworks are a focal point for Las Fallas celebrations. A mascletà is a set of coordinated firework displays that take place at 2:00 PM every day of Las Fallas. Since they take place during the day, the focus is actually more on the sound than the lights. There are a few throughout the city, but the biggest one is the Municipal Mascletà, which takes place at the Plaça de l’Ajuntament. There, pyrotechnicians compete each day of the festival for the honor of performing the show on the final night of the festival.
Here’s the good news for firework chasers: mascletàs are not specific to Las Fallas! They happen year-round, and they’re a huge part of Valencia’s local culture. Smaller, neighborhood-wide versions are popular for saints’ days, weddings, and other local celebrations. The techniques have evolved over time, but the structure of the show remains the same. There are four parts to each: the start, body, terratrèmol (earthquake), and air show.
March 15: La Crida (opening night)
To kick off the festivities, Las Fallas begins with an opening night ceremony known as La Crida (the cry). Under a sky filled with fireworks, the fallera mayor and various city leaders give enlivened speeches as they stand under the historical gateway to the city of Valencia, Los Torres de Serrano.
This event is jam packed, but luckily the fireworks are easily viewed from anywhere in the city!
March 15 – 16: La Plantà
On the evening of March 15, the fallas are installed! The Plantà extends through the entire night and often into the early morning hours of the next day. Fallas are built and housed throughout the year in nearby warehouses, but fallas must be completed and installed by the morning of March 16, or they risk disqualification from the competition and the festival ceremony.
Traditionally made of wood and papier-mâché, these monuments are incredibly intricate and tall, some reaching over 65 feet. It takes months of designing and building before the fallas are festival-ready.
Once every fallas is installed—both the fallas major (which tend to be larger) and fallas infantils (smaller monuments with children’s themes)—Valencia celebrates with yet another fireworks display at City Hall called Amb de Las Fallas to honor the work of building these pieces together. The Fallas are on display until the end of the festival!
March 16: Fallas competition
The official fallas competition is held on March 16, right after the Plantà. Each piece is placed in a category based on size and financial investment, and entries are judged by innovation, technicality, and artistry.
Of the roughly 800 annual fallas entered in the competition each year, the highly coveted grand prize is awarded to one falla major and one falla infantil. The winners are then displayed in a special section of the festival, where you can expect an even bigger density of crowds in the coming days.
March 17 – 18: Ofrenda de Flores de Fallas
Once the fallas competition has come to an end, the Ofrenda de Flors (offering of the flowers) takes place on March 17-18.
This offering has special significance for the town of Valencia, as the Virgen de los Desamparados (Our Lady of the Foresaken) is the patron saint of the city. A large statue of the Virgin Mary is built in the plaza bearing her name, and the statue’s cloak is painstakingly created from perfectly placed rows of red and white flowers.
Many visitors place flowers at the statue’s feet, and the fallera mayor is the last person to place an offering at midnight on March 18, marking the end of the offering. In a festival filled with noise and fireworks, this is an exclusively solemn occasion, and one that bears strong religious significance for locals and visitors alike.
March 18: Nit-Del-Foc
The fireworks displays at the riverbed get progressively grander each night, the grandest display of which happens on March 18, which is known as Nit-del-Foc (“night of fire” in Valencian).
March 19: Cavalcada del Foc
On the final night of the Las Fallas festivities, a parade of fire starts in the evening and winds through the city. It includes elaborate floats and displays, people in historic costumes, rockets and gunpowder, and musical performances all themed around fire.
March 19: The Cremà
La Cremà is the final event of the Las Fallas celebrations: the burning of the fallas in a giant bonfire. Each falla is filled with fireworks, which are lit first. Then, the constructions catch fire after the fireworks have gone off. The fallas infantils are burnt first at 10:00 PM. The bigger neighborhood fallas are burned closer to midnight. The largest city falle is burned last as a grand finale. Meanwhile, people dance and party in the streets.
Must-know tips for Las Fallas visitors
Valencia is a relatively quiet town of 800,000 until Las Fallas begins. The streets are packed. The fireworks are endless. And there’s something new to discover around every corner. If you’re hammering out your trip itinerary, here’s everything you need to know to make the most of your time in Valencia.
Know the schedule
The events of Las Fallas are usually the same every year, but it can be a lot to keep track of. To make sure you’re in the right place at the right time for each thing you want to see, you can always confirm with the events calendar on Valencia’s tourism website. There are also local Facebook groups and pages and an official Fallas app for iOS and Android.
Get a Valencia tourist card
For a festival that could take you all over the city, get your money’s worth with a tourist card. This card can get you unlimited public transit trips, free admission to museums, and discounts at over 150 local businesses!
Sample the local cuisine
Valencia is an excellent food city. Throughout the festival, you’ll find vendors selling Paella, the city’s most famous dish, on the streets. Some other street treats to try include buñuelos (a donut-like sweet), horchata, fartons (a lightly sweet pastry), and churros.
Get to big events early
Las Fallas is a very popular festival, so get to each event early if you want to get a good spot. Snacks, drinks, and people watching can make the waiting more exciting. The ofrenda is the only exception to this rule since it lasts all day and people come and go as they please.
Visit the Museo Fallero
This museum dedicated to the festival is open all year round and makes a great companion to the events. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to learn more about how the fallas have changed over the years! With a 2 euro entrance fee, it’s a great bargain too.
Bring ear plugs
Official fireworks shows start between midnight and 1am. Unless you’re a really heavy sleeper, you’ll need earplugs to get sleep. If you’re sensitive to loud noises, you might want to bring them along during the day as well.
Explore Spain with Rosetta Stone
Las Fallas is truly a one-of-a-kind experience that has something for everyone, from night-owls to art lovers. Plus, it’s an incredible way to meet local and fellow travelers from around the world!
If you’re interested in visiting Spain or expanding your cultural knowledge, brushing up on your Spanish skills is a must. Rosetta Stone makes it easy and helps you go beyond rote memorization with fun, immersive lessons that prepare you for real-world conversations. Plus, TruAccent is built into every lesson to help you sound amazing from day one.
Written by Luca Harsh
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