The Festival of Fire: Las Fallas returns to Valencia

Las Fallas – the Festival of Fire – returns to the Spanish city of Valencia from 15-19 March 2022 with fireworks, art and good times for all!

Las Fallas – declared by UNESCO to be an event of Intangible Cultural Heritage back in 2016 – returns to the busy streets of Valencia this week after a two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This flaming festival features masquerades and costumes, fireworks, art installations, over 800 temporary sculptures and endless parties and traditionally goes on for the first 19 days of March. The key festivities fall on 15-19 March every year.

HISTORY OF LAS FALLAS

There are many different stories regarding the origins of this fiery festival of fun. Some believe it was started when Valencia’s carpenters burnt the castoffs from their workshops to coincide with St Jose, the patron saint of carpentry. UNESCO officially states it is the result of Valencia’s location on the Silk Road and leading to the resurgence of silk weaving – which continues to this day! The festival has also been crucial to maintaining the Valencian language which was, for many years, outlawed in Spain.

The festival starts with the election of a local Fallas Queen, who presides over the festivities (back in 2020 it was this Fallas Queen who had to announce lockdown legislation to stunned revellers). Around the centre of the city, artists create installations including temporary sculptures that are set on fire on various nights. The main sculpture is built in the centre of Valencia and is dubbed the Falla. It is created by local artisans and craftspeople and usually offers satirical social commentary. The Falla is set on fire in an exuberant bonfire on the 19th of March, thereby ending the festivities and finally signalling the beginning of spring in the city.

THE FESTIVAL IN 2022

This year, the streets of Valencia are lit up with masked – in more ways than one – tourists and partygoers. Check out the pictures from the people on the ground at the Festival of Fire:

Now just imagine those sculptures going up in flame to the delight of revellers! No wonder this festival has been going on for several hundred years.

ALSO READ: Remaining UK travel restrictions SCRAPPED