The Fallas festival must be one of the best known in Spain and it's unique to Valencia. It happens every year around the feast of St Joseph on 19th March as it is said to have started when the carpenters of the city, whose patron is St Joseph, would clear out their workshops and burn their scraps of wood as part of their spring-cleaning.From a community and religious perspective, local neighbourhoods form Fallas associations and contribute money throughout the year to commission huge sculptures made of wood and papier-mâché.
The female members of the association, called Falleras, dress in sumptuous costumes made of brocade and lace and parade through the streets, to bring floral tributes to a statue of the Virgin Mary in front of the Cathedral. Each association holds a street-party with their fallas sculpture on display and has a feast of paella, which they cook up on bonfires in the street.
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2 comments:
I have been to Valencia several times and it seems that their favorite way to celebrate any festivity is with pyrotechnics!
@eezi
Do hope you enjoy the festival and well done for getting your link in - however if you're sightseeing in Valencia it's best to use public transport, especially at festival time.
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