If you have been in Valencia during Las Fallas, you have probably already seen some of our beautiful falleras, with their colourful dresses and intricate hairstyle, they are hard to miss!

Who are the falleras of Valencia?

The falleras are women that are members of Fallas casales (neighbourhood groups that organize and take part in fallas activities).  The falleras are at the heart of  the Fallas celebrations, they take part in celebrations throughout the year, and during the festival the partake in all of the parades, processions, daily mascletà, the cridà (opening ceremony) and la ofrenda ( flower offering ceremony).

What does the traje de fallera, the traditonal clothing, look like?

The traje de fallera is one of the most beautfiul traditional dresses in all of Spain. The dress is usually made of rich fabrics such as silk or brocade, and is covered in lace, golden, sequins, and even precious stones which sparkle as they move. One the most striking elements of this outfit is the traditional hairstyle, the moño de fallera, which involves the hair twisted in circular swirling pattern and fixed into place with peinetas – golden combs. They also typically wear heavy jewellry which including earrings, necklaces and broaches.

The falleros the male falleros, also wear a traditional clothing, which consists of a shorts, waistcoat, una banda – a sash around the waist and a headpiece.

Who is the Fallera Mayor?

Each year, two falleras are chosen from all of the thousands in Valencia; one to be the Fallera Mayor, the Queen Fallera of Valencia, and one to be the Fallera Mayor Infantil , the childrens princess. The Fallera Mayor  is the face of the festival, representing the spirit of Las Fallas in celebrations throughout the festival, with one of her most important jobs; annoucing the famous line «Ya estem en falles!», «We are now in fallas!» from the top of the Serrano Towers the opening ceremony each year.

Check out our very own Fallera we have in Euroace!

La Ofrenda

La Ofrenda «the offering» takes place during the 17th and 18th of March each year. More than 100,000 falleros y falleras parade the streets of Valencia to make an offering of fresh flowers for la Virgen de los Desamparados or the Virgen of the Forsaken,  which respersents Valencia. The parade winds through the main streets of the centre of Valencia slowly making it ways towards the Plaza de la Virgen, where a huge wooden structure stands with an image of the Virgen. As the parade continues, workers take the flower bouquets and create an intricate design on the structure. By the end of the procesccion her cloak is entirely made of flowers that have been arranged to create a pattern an image which changes every year. The scent of fresh flowers filling the air, as well as the strikingly beautiful Virgen surrounded by falleras and falleros overwhelmed by emotion is a truely unique and magical experience. It often thought of as the most emotional event of Las Fallas.

This statue of the Virgen de los Desamparados is the only thing not burnt on the final night of Fallas and it will remain in the square until the flowers start to wilt, so people from all around Valencia can come to visit it, and you should too!