Las Fallas has to be Spain’s noisiest festival -- and hotest. Every March, Valencia celebrates Saint Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters. History obviously ties this annual tradition to the work of artisans, reaching back to the Middle Ages. Beginnings obscured, tradition evolved. For here, Valencia designs and constructs rather large, satirical papier-mâché figures. She then parades them around and burns them ala funeral pyre. Accompanied by fireworks. Of course -- it's Spain and it's fiesta. Nothing short of spectacular. One big, loud torching.
Las Fallas is actually the culmination of a year-long process as neighborhoods organize, plan, select a theme, design, fund raise and construct their own unique falla. These groups compete against each other to attract the best artists, painters, sculptors -- who then produce quite elaborate, cartoonish and combustible sculptures. And some of these monuments may reach up to five stories high. Yes, they are adorned and stuffed with pyrotechnics. It is not unusual for Valencia and her surrounding communities to generate 500 falla per festival.
The days and nights of this festival are quite rowdy -- all forms of procession abound. Historical, religious, satirical. A barrage of fireworks are unleashed into the streets by random pedestrians of all ages. Or anonymously launched high. Nonstop. Restaurants overflow into the streets. Traditional foods are fried or cooked on the pavement -- sold. Sounds and aromas mix and swirl; come and go.
Las Fallas concludes at midnight on the 19th with “the burn” (cremà). It begins in outer areas and moves towards Valencia's centrum. The falla in the Plaça de l'Ajuntament are torched last. Explosions. Erupting fire. Heat. In open areas, narrow streets. In proximity of historic façades. Windows, street signs, power lines. Multitudes, crowds. Moving. Spectators, held back, react to the intensity of the flames. Firemen watch and spray, keeping structures wet to mitigate damage. Then on to the next anticipated bonfire. Tradition tempers safety.Yikes. This is a party? Burn baby burn.
