VALENCIA, SPAIN || MARCH 13-19
For five days in March, Valencia, Spain is "En Fuego"! Literrally.
Las Fallas is a cultural festival of Christian & Pagan origins which honors St. Joseph. It is a bit of a spectacle (attracting about 2 million people) but I'm quite sure there are many events within the festival that are worth discovering.
For five days the city is festooned with dozens of massive sculptures depicting iconic figures such as celebrities, politicians and athletes. The statues are created by neighborhood groups who work for months on these effigies made of paper and wood.
Each night, these same neighborhood groups compete in fireworks displays, or mascleta, which take place in the Plaza Ayuntamiento. They are vying for "Pyro of the Year" bragging rights, I suppose. The finale comes on the 19th, when the statues are filled with fireworks, and set on fire. Only one is saved, (the best, presumably) and it is preserved in a museum.
So, imagine the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, or the Parade of Roses, (in Spanish) and then, at the end, set it all on fire! HELLO! Do they not have lawyers in Spain? Crazy. I love it
DETAILS: http://www.fallasfromvalencia.com/en/htm/lasfallas.htm
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