Fallas is Valencia’s most famous festival, recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Its main symbol is the huge temporary sculptural monuments made of wood and papier-mache (Fallas), which are erected in streets and squares for people to admire… until the final ritual burning. Alongside the “large” monuments, there are also children’s fallas (Fallas infantiles): they are smaller in size and aimed at a younger audience.
When Fallas takes place
The festival is traditionally celebrated in March. Its origins are linked to spring rituals of burning old things and to the day of Saint Joseph (San José) – the patron saint of carpenters.
In modern Valencia, the festive “warm-up” begins in advance: from the end of February, the first calls to celebration are heard, and from 1 March the city enters its daily schedule of pyrotechnics – the mascletà (Mascletà) in the centre and firecracker salvos across the neighbourhoods.
The main elements of the festival
Fallas and ninots
Hundreds of falla compositions are installed throughout the city. The process is called plantà. Each one usually has a theme and consists of many individual sculptural scenes – ninots. These are not just decorations, but visual stories: satire, humour, commentary on current events and recognisable characters.
The “heartbeat” of gunpowder – Mascletà
Mascletà is a daytime pyrotechnic show that is hard to describe in words: it is not “fireworks in the sky”, but rhythm, noise and vibration building in waves. The classic focal point is the square by City Hall (Plaza del Ayuntamiento).
Flower Offering – Ofrenda de Flores
The Ofrenda (flower offering to the Virgin Mary – Virgen de los Desamparados) takes place on 17–18 March: thousands of participants in traditional dress walk in procession and create a huge floral “cloak” on the figure of the city’s patron saint.
Finale – Cremà
The climax of Fallas is the cremà: on the night of 19 March, the monuments are burned one after another. First come the children’s fallas, then the “adult” ones, with the largest crowds gathering around the fallas in the central squares.
How many fallas are erected in Valencia
During the festival, around 800 monuments appear across the city: roughly half are children’s and half are adult monuments.
Where fallas are made and why “not everything burns”
The monuments are created in large workshops; a significant part of this creative industry is concentrated in the “city of artisans”. And although the festival is designed to end in fire, every year one ninot from an adult falla and one from a children’s falla can be saved by public vote – this is the ninot indultat. They are then added to the museum collection.
Museo Fallero: where to go to see the saved ninots
The Fallas Museum houses a collection of ninots indultats saved from the flames since 1934, as well as posters, photo and video materials that help explain the evolution of the festival and its symbolism. It also explains the connection with the public vote and the ninot exhibition.
Exposición del Ninot 2026: the exhibition where the “pardoned” ninot is chosen
The Ninot Exhibition is the “teaser” of Fallas: each commission selects one ninot (adult and child), visitors vote, and the two winners do not burn on 19 March but move to the museum.
In 2026, the exhibition ran from 7 February to 15 March at the City of Arts and Sciences.
Fallas 2026 programme (official events for 16–19 March)
Below are the key points from the Visit Valencia programme (local time). Full programme page
Monday, 16 March 2026
- 08:00 – Plantà of all fallas (installation of the monuments).
- 14:00 – Mascletà at Plaza del Ayuntamiento (Pirotecnia Tamarit).
- 16:30 – Children’s prize-giving ceremony (Premios Infantiles) at City Hall.
- 23:59 – Night fireworks at Puente de Monteolivete (Pirotecnia del Mediterráneo).
Tuesday, 17 March 2026
- 09:00 – Prize ceremony (Entrega de Premios) at City Hall.
- 14:00 – Mascletà at Plaza del Ayuntamiento (Pirotecnia del Mediterráneo).
- 15:30 – Ofrenda de flores (start of the processions).
- 23:59 – Night fireworks at Puente de Monteolivete (Pirotecnia Zaragozana).
Ofrenda on 17 March – route timetable
- “Calle La Paz” route (start 15:30): Rascanya (15:30) → Camins al Grau (17:10) → Ruzafa A (18:55) → Ruzafa B (19:55) → Pla del Reial-Benimaclet (20:40) → Canyamelar-Grau-Nazaret (22:40) → La Xerea (00:10).
- “Calle San Vicente” route (start 15:30): Patraix (15:30) → Botànic-La Petxina (16:45) → El Carmen (17:45) → Jesús (18:30) → Quart de Poblet-Xirivella (19:45) → La Creu Coberta (21:25) → El Pilar-Sant Francesc (22:40) → La Seu-El Mercat (23:55) → Casas Regionales (00:25) → Juntas Locales (00:35) → Comitiva y Falleras Mayores Infantiles (00:50–01:00, including the Fallera Mayor Infantil).
Wednesday, 18 March 2026
- 10:00 – Commemorative event for the poet Maximiliano Thous.
- 12:00 – Commemorative event for Maestro Serrano.
- 14:00 – Mascletà at Plaza del Ayuntamiento (Pirotecnia Caballer FX).
- 15:30 – Ofrenda de flores (second day).
- 23:59 – NIT DEL FOC (Puente de Monteolivete, Pirotecnia Valenciana).
Ofrenda on 18 March – route timetable
- “Calle La Paz” route (start 15:30): Quatre Carreres (15:30) → Benimamet-Burjassot-Beniferri (17:10) → Pla del Remei-Gran Vía (19:10) → Malvarrosa-Cabañal-Beteró (20:40) → Algirós (21:55) → Poblats al Sud (22:55).
- “Calle San Vicente” route (start 15:30): Benicalap (15:30) → Campanar (16:45) → La Roqueta-Arrancapins (18:00) → Olivereta (19:30) → Zaidia (21:15) → Mislata (22:50) → Casas Regionales (00:05) → Entidades invitadas (00:15) → Falla de la Fallera Mayor + Comitiva + Falleras Mayores (00:25–00:40).
Thursday, 19 March 2026
- 12:00 – Solemn mass in honour of San José (Cathedral).
- 14:00 – Mascletà at Plaza del Ayuntamiento (Pirotecnia Hnos Caballer).
- 19:00 – Cabalgata del Fuego (along Calle de la Paz to Porta de la Mar).
- 20:00 – Cremà of the children’s fallas.
- 20:30 – Cremà of the winning children’s falla in Sección Especial.
- 21:00 – Cremà of the children’s falla at Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
- 22:00 – Cremà of all the fallas in Valencia.
- 22:30 – Cremà of the Sección Especial winner.
- 23:00 – Cremà of the falla at Plaza del Ayuntamiento (Pirotecnia Hnos Caballer).
