When celebrating the arrival of spring on March 19th, carpenters used to burn pieces of wood that were used to prop up their lights during the winter. This is the origin of las Fallas because people would gradually add old belongings and rags making the bonfire look more human which is what the ninots are known as today. Fallas celebrations have evolved into temporary works of art and sometimes cost millions of euros today.
Fallas starts with Mascletà from the 1-19th of March, which are a type of firework that explode with a loud noise. These happen every day at 2pm in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
The Plantà is on the 15th of march where the judges award the best ninot induldat and choose it to be the only one saved from the burning.
During Fallas the night skies are full of color and light due to the fireworks set off at midnight at Alameda.
On the 17th and 18th of March the Flower Ofrenda takes place. All the Fallas commissions of Valencia parade through the city from their neighborhood to the Plaza de la Virgen for a flower offering to the Virgen de los Desamparados, patron saint of Valencia. Bunches of flowers become part of a 49 foot high structure representing the Virgen’s cape.
The Cremà, on March 19th, marks the burning of everything, small and large. Although it can be sad to see such hard work burn in a matter of minutes, it’s a once in a life time sight! At 8pm the small monuments start to burn and the larger ones start burning at 10. The first prize winner is burned at 10:30 and the celebrations end when the monument at Plaza del Ayuntamiento is burned at 11pm.
