The opening of the
Fallas Festivities starts with the Cridà, in
which the mayer of the city, Rita Barberá
and the stand in the top of the Serranos
Towers and invite Valencians to enjoy the
celebrations.
But really, the
celebrations start in the beginning of the
month of February. Since February 4th the
Ninots, exhibition is open in the Nuevo
Centro esplanade. There, the favourite ninot
(ironic idea represented in a figure) will
escape from the fire and become part of the
Fallero Museum and become the ninot indultat
(saved ninot).
Around 1870, the Fallas
celebration was forbidden, as well as Carnival. In
1885 this pressure created a movement that defended
typical traditions by awarding in the magazine "LaTraca"
the prizes to the best Fallas Monuments. This
competition, which began to be popular among
different neighbourhoods, brought the creation of
the artistic Falla, where critique was still an
important element together with aesthetics.
In 1901 the Ayuntamiento de Valencia awarded local
prizes to the best Fallas. This was the beginning of
the union between the people and the political power.
This relationship has greatly developed this popular
festivity in its structure, organisation and size.
In 1929 the first poster contest for the promotion
of the Festivities and in 1932 the Fallero weekend
was established. It what then, when Fallas became
the Mayor Festivity of the Region of Valencia. Today,
more than seven hundred big and small Fallas are
burned in the city of Valencia.
Fallas Today
The opening of the
Fallas Festivities starts with the Cridà, in
which the mayer of the city, Rita Barberá
and the stand in the top of the Serranos
Towers and invite Valencians to enjoy the
celebrations.
But really, the
celebrations start in the beginning of the
month of February. Since February 4th the
Ninots, exhibition is open in the Nuevo
Centro esplanade. There, the favourite ninot
(ironic idea represented in a figure) will
escape from the fire and become part of the
Fallero Museum and become the ninot indultat
(saved ninot).
From March 1st through the 19th, at 2 pm, in
the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, different
mascletaes take place. It's a pyrotechnical
act composed by a series of fire crackers
masclets that explode according to a certain
rhythm and end with a spectacular sound.
After midnight, on March 15th, the plantà
officially begins and all the Fallas
monuments can be contemplated in the streets.
Between March 17
and 18, one of the most emotive Fallero acts
takes place: the traditional flower offer to
the Virgen de los Desamparados, where
thousand of Valencians gather to offer
flowers to the "Cheperudeta", the Virgin's
popular name. These days, all Fallero
Comissions march dressed up in traditional
costumes to accompanied with music bands
towards an enormous reproduction of the
Virgin located in front of the Basilica (where
the original figure stands). The Falleras
leave their flowers and, with them, a
colourful shawl for the big figure of the
Virgin. The last one making her flower offer
is the Fallera Mayor of Valencia.
On March 19th, the
Cremà takes place. It's the moment in which
the Fallas monuments are burned and
transformed into ashes; is the high point of
the festivity as well as the saddest because
it's the end of Fallas.
