What are the Main Events in Las Fallas?
The Fallas festival has a few main events that take place every year. La crida, la plantà and la mascletà are typical words in Valencia around the time of Fallas.
They epitomize the tradition of the festival and the town comes alive for these events, so you can really feel the spirit of the festival within these moments.
Some of the main events are explained a bit better here:
LA CRIDA
La Crida has already passed this year. It was the opening of the festival that took place on March 1st.
It is usually celebrated on the last Sunday in February (however this year was different and they actually celebrated it on the first day in March). It is one of the biggest dates for local people in Valencia, marking the official beginning of Las Fallas.
The opening day of Las Fallas begins at 8:00am with La Despertà, Bands and “los falleros” playing loud music and throwing firecrackers as they march down the streets. At night, the crowds gather at the Torres Serranos to listen to a speech given by the mayor of Valencia and by the “Fallera mayor”. This is followed by a fantastic light and pyrotechnic display to kick off the celebrations!
LA PLANTÀ
On the 14th March at 5:00 p.m. the “Exposición del Ninot” will close. This is where the public gets to vote for their favorite “ninot” , which is a special piece or figure taken from the main monument. Afterwards, we find out which “Ninot infantil indultat” is the winner of the competition (the main children’s monument winner) and the one that will be saved from the flames at the end of the festival.
The following day the same happens but this time with the big monuments! In the evening, the results of the votes will be published and we’ll find out which adult monument was the best of the bunch! This will then become the “Ninot Indultat” of 2020, and will also be saved from the burning in the “Cremà” on March 19th.
At the end of the day the falleros and falleras help the artists to finish the “Plantà” of their big monuments and ninots. Ready for the public to enjoy the beautiful artwork!
MASCLETÁ
A barrage of firecrackers and fireworks on display everyday from March 1st to the day of San José on March 19th. Every Mascletà takes place at 2PM at “La Plaza del Ayuntamiento”.
At that time, the “Fallera major” will call from the balcony of the City Hall to start off this pyrotechnic show. It is an amazing feeling to be in the Town Hall square during the event, and even though there are a lot of crowds, it’s worth going early to get close to the arena and literally feel the noise!
Even if you missed the main Mascletà, there’s plenty of them going on all over the city, it’s really common for smaller neighborhoods to hold their own versions of the Mascletà too. So get ready for lots of noise during the entire festival!
THE OFFERING OF FLOWERS
It takes place on March 17th and 18th, it is truly one of the most touching events of the Fallas. Thousands of people around the city unite at “La Plaza de la Virgen” dressed up in traditional clothes bringing flowers and asking for blessings of health and safety to “La Virgen de los Desamparados”.
All the flowers offered to the “Virgen de los Desamparados” are used to make a cloak to dress the virgin in during the next few days, while thousands of people go to the square to visit her.
LA CREMÀ
La Cremà marks the end of the Fallas.
On the night of March 19th, all the fallas are burnt at the climax of the whole event. It’s definitely the most important date, with a big party to finish the celebrations in style
Definitely a must-see!