Once a year for about three weeks, Valencia sets itself on fire.
Las Fallas dates back centuries, and no matter what else is going on in the world, Fallas persists.
The scent of gunpowder blended with sugary churros and hot chocolate permeates the air. Children throw firecrackers to the ground, giggling with delight when they pop.
Last year was our first Fallas. In our second year, somehow, we’ve made our peace with the noise and have mostly slept through the live music drifting into our apartment from the street below. (Let’s not even get into the mortar-style fireworks exploding all around us.)
This past weekend, we rounded up the kids and went on a scavenger hunt for monuments near the city center. We were dazzled by them last year, but this year? The monuments were even more elaborate, and the political messages were clear, with Trump dominating much of the imagery.
This is probably our final year remaining in Valencia while the city burns—at least for now. Peace with the noise only goes so far. With an elderly dog, kids, and the general 40-something desire for a good night’s sleep, unless you’re part of it, even most Spanish people will tell you to leave. (My neighbors did and advised us to do the same.) The party stretches well into the wee hours of the morning, with live concerts beginning at midnight, fireworks exploding, and drunken partiers shout-singing off-key.
It takes months and millions of euros to build these monuments, only to watch them burn—symbolic of renewal.
I took the photos below with my iPhone on a gray and gloomy Saturday (using Lightroom to highlight their artistry), but you can see how much effort goes into their creation and why the Valencians are so proud of their city’s tradition.
Feliz Fallas!
I write here about building a life abroad—slowly, imperfectly, and with a lot of trial and error.
You can subscribe to receive new posts by email, or support this work with a paid subscription, one-time contribution, or just hit the ❤️ button below to help others find poco a poco.
If you’d like to reach out directly, you can find me at jen@jeninspain.com.
Read more of our family’s adventures in Spain with these pieces:
Very cool! Great photos!
We live in a city that has a large Carnaval celebration and our neighbor is an empty warehouse—EXCEPT during carnival when it becomes a party spot that blasts loud music until 7am every night. It’s been fun these last two years but I can understand why some of the locals leave. Thankfully, we’ve been able to sleep through the noise. 😂
I waited decades to see the festivals in person and loved every second! Now that I’m in Barcelona (which also sets itself on fire but in different ways and more frequently) I go back for at least a week every year to see them. One of my favorite parts is the small wooden boxes that the children have, like a fireworks starter kit. Last year when I was there, there was a mother explaining to her two children how to light various fireworks in the boxes. As I looked down to see the children’s faces, I noticed the bandages on their fingers. Truly dedicated… is one way to describe it