The Start of Fallas: How to Celebrate La Cridà
The wait is finally over for all of Valencia. If you’ve experienced it before, you know exactly what we’re talking about. But if not, then it’s time for us to introduce you to one of the biggest festivals in Spain – Las Fallas. It truly is a festival like no other, and the best part is that the celebrations span from the end of February all the way until the end of March.
Street parties, lively parades, fireworks and figures, these are just some of the things that happen throughout the month. Visitors are engulfed in a whirlwind of sounds, sights, and flavors and there is something new every single day to enjoy. I hope you are just as excited as we are!
Our blog this week will tell you about two things: The «Exposición del Ninot» and the event that marks the official beginning of this wonderful festival – La Cridà. Lucky for you, EUROACE is organizing events for both, so you can fully immerse yourself in Valencian culture and experience Las Fallas like a pro!
The Exposición del Ninot – What is it?
First we’ll start with an integral part of the Fallas festival in Valencia. The Exposición del Ninot is a huge exhibition where the «ninots», the smaller figures that make up the large Fallas sculptures, are put on display for the public to view. Each year, hundreds of ninots are exhibited in a large venue, and this year it will be at the City of Arts & Sciences. A main highlight of this exposition is the «Ninot Indultat» where the public is able to vote for their favourite ninot to be spared from the flames during the final night of the Fallas festival. The winning ninot is preserved in the Fallas museum as a symbol of artistic achievement.
This tradition is a great way to really get stuck into Valencian culture and examine the sculptures and their designers. The exhibition provides a sneak peek into the creativity and artistry of the artists who create the fallas. A wide range of themes, styles and artistic techniques are showcased and everyone is able to enjoy the beauty of these sculptures up close before all but one is burnt to flames. An unusual but intriguing tradition to say the least!
La Cridà and how to celebrate it!
- The Cridà, which typically takes place on the last Sunday of February, is a significant event that marks the official beginning of Las Fallas. This whole event really sets the tone of what is to come and is accompanied by fireworks, music and an extremely vibrant atmosphere. Before all of the fun starts at La Cridà, there will be a Mascletà display at the town hall at 2:00PM, a traditional firework display which focuses on intense, rhythmic explosions. A Mascletà typically takes place every day of the festival until the very end, so don’t be afraid if you hear loud noises at this time!
- The main events of La Cridà see all of the Fallas committees come together beneath the famous and historical Torres de Serranos to welcome the party of the year! When the Fallera Mayor – the main ambassador of the Fallas festival steps up to give her speech, she proclaims the festival has begun and invites everyone to enjoy the festival and celebrate with her.
- The Fallera Mayor plays a crucial role in promoting and preserving the traditions of Fallas, She wears traditional Valencian attire, which includes intricate dresses adorned with ornate embroidery, the famous «fallera» hairstyle, and traditional accessories such as mantillas and jewelry.
This year, La Cridà is on Sunday, the 25th of February and EUROACE is organizing both a tour of the ninot exhibition and a visit to the Torres de Serranos – those who attend will be able to truly experience these celebrations to the max!
If you’d like to put your name down for this activity, please send an email to euroace@euroace.net. We’ll see you there!
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