Among Europe’s biggest street parties, Las Fallas in Valencia is a pyromaniac’s paradise during which Valencia becomes a city of flaming effigies, fireworks, colourful parades and music.

Las Fallas is heading towards the end of the celebrations. Mascletaes (firecrackers), noise, music and revellers in their dazzling traditional dress will be filling every street of the city until tomorrow, 19th March, the day of San José.

Yesterday the Ofrenda de Flores a la Virgen de los Desamparados (a floral offering to our Lady of the Forsaken) took place from 4pm until nightfall and will continue today at the same time. It is the greatest expression of religious devotion in the whole Fallas Fiesta calendar, with an elegance, grandeur and visual impact, an enormous multi-coloured parade with the members of the Fallas commitees wearing their marvellous, intricately decorated, traditional costumes and carrying bunches of flowers to be inserted in the enormous image of the Virgin which stands in the centre of the square named after her, overlooked by her Basilica. Because of their incredible numbers of participants, the Offering is held on two days (17th and 18th March) and, for many reasons, it has now become the Fallas week’s central event.

On 18th March at 1.30 am, the Nit del Foc (Night of Fire) gets underway. Thousands of people will be gathering together along the former river bed of the River Turia to witness the stunning firework displays that flood the Valencian night sky with light every year, the best example of the intensity that can be reached combining light, colour and explosions, a unique spectacle that announces the imminent arrival of the Cremà. Ricardo Caballer, one of the best pyrotechnician in the world, will offer a real delight of fireworks during more than twenty minutes using an innovative shot. Before then, visitors can wander around the city, discovering the charming streets of Valencia, admiring the immense Fallas monuments that are soon to be consumed by the flames, and enjoying the festive atmosphere and frenetic climax to these celebrations.

On the afternoon of 19th March, the Cabalgata del Fuego or Parade of Fire will be taking place, a lively procession of curious characters setting off rockets and creating an incredible light show. And finally, the time comes when hundreds of Fallas monuments will go up in flames in Valencia on the night of the 19th, during the traditional Cremà. At around 10 p.m., the smaller monuments (ninots) will be burnt first. And at midnight, the remaining monuments will be set on fire, as burning ash rains down on the city, giving way to a spectacular collection of aerial fireworks at 1 o’clock in the morning.

Read more on this big street festival.

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