Fallas is in full swing as of last weekend and we know people have questions. Why are there explosions outside my apartment every 5 minutes? Who are the ladies in the big dresses? Tourists and locals alike, we are sure there is something here for you to learn.

Las Fallas festival has multiple origins that eventually came together into what we now understand the festival to be. Fallas began in the 18th century as a celebration of Saint Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters. In that time period, carpenters would burn scraps of wood on the eve of March 19th in his honour. As a result, Fallas is celebrated throughout March and ends on the 19th with locals using fires to usher in warmer weather, ultimately making it a celebration of spring. As Las Fallas developed, the festival became better known worldwide and was eventually added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2016.

Fallas has been cancelled and postponed 6-7 times for four different reasons historically. In 1886 the celebration was disrupted by an ongoing protest among locals. In 1896, Fallas was called off because of the Spanish American War, and similarly annulled in 1937-39 during the Spanish Civil War. More recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Fallas was unfortunately cancelled in 2020, with the 2021 celebration being pushed back 6 months to September.

Art is a large part of Las Fallas festival as it provides satirical relief and personal representation throughout the city. The centrepiece of the celebration being the ‘Fallas,’ large wooden, cardboard, and papier-mâché structures that are ultimately burned down on the final day. Other forms of art like dance and music can also be found throughout the city as performers keep the rhythm of the festival going.

With the age of technology, more people have begun attending Las Fallas, making València a popular spot for March break and spring travel. A large part of the festival is the appreciation of family and community. Each neighbourhood in València comes together to build a Falla and represent themselves in the final day’s burning celebration. One woman is chosen per sector as Fallera, a representative for their community throughout las Fallas in the city. One special responsibility of the Fallera is to light the match to burn down their Falla on the final night.

You may notice people walking through the streets wearing different types of clothing during Fallas. As part of the festival, men and women wear typical Valencian garb to symbolize heritage and dedication to the celebration. For men, a quintessential outfit would be traditional trousers, a traje corto (an embroidered short jacket, worn with a simple white shirt), and a hat and colorful sash as accessories. Women can be seen wearing embroidered, corset-style silk dresses with aprons. Women’s outfits are elegant and extremely complex works of design costing upwards of €2000. A more commonly worn women’s Fallas accessory is a navy blue and white silk scarf, for warmth or as a head covering during rough weather.

Another ongoing tradition, which you’ve surely heard one day or another, is La Mascletà. Every day of March leading up to the 19th, there are pyrotechnics displays outside city hall. Thousands of people gather in and around Plaza del Ayuntamiento at 2:00pm each day to hear the five to seven minute event. The daytime show is meant less as a colour and light production, but more to exhibit sound and the physical feeling that comes with it.

Report by Grace McCullagh

Article copyright 24/7 Valencia

Photo copyright 24/7 Valencia

FALLAS TIMETABLE 2026