Valencia's fire festival: "Las Fallas"

The end of winter and the start of spring is marked by the fire festival in Valencia "las fallas"

This "fiesta" dates from the Middle Ages, but was not very popular until the middle of the last century. Huge papier-mâché monuments (called "fallas") are erected on street corners and in the squares of Valencia around the 15th March. Each of the "fallas" depicts a satirical scene and may take up to a year to build, with a total cost of millions of pesetas. These "fallas" are then set alight on the night of March 19th, which is St. Joseph's day (Father's day in Spain), alongside bangers and incredible firework displays that echo deafeningly through the city.

Among the most important acts are :

• the "crida", the public announcement which is made from the Torres de Serranos by the Queen of the "fallas" and the Mayor of the city
• the "Cabalgata del Ninot" (the Ninot procession), the lovely night-time parade which is made up of various "falla" committees;
• the "Cabalgata del Reino" (Procession of the Kingdom) in which various towns of the old Kingdom of Valencia take part, putting on show their own typical folklore and local produce
• the offerings of flowers made by the participants -"falleras" - to "Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados" (Our Lady of the Forsaken), Patroness of the city
• the famous "Nit del Foc" (Night of Fire), when all the "fallas" (grotesque and humorous scenes made up of cardboard figures) are set on fire providing a fascinating spectacle.

Completing these local celebrations are bullfights and diverse sports competitions.