Fallas Fiesta in Oliva
If the carnival marks the start of Lent, in the middle of this period of
reflection the Fallas fiesta maintains its attraction celebrating Lent in a
pagan way: with a great bonfire burning the old to make way for the new. The
parodies of the papier-mâché monuments paint a portrait of everyday life in a
way that is both easy-going and spectacular. In Oliva there is evidence that
these fiestas were already celebrated in the 60s but they have been consolidated
as we now know them since 1982. Now the five Fallas commissions prepare a great
fiesta that lasts a week and in which there is every type of ritual (the naming
of the fiesta queens, erection of the monuments, early-morning awakenings,
flower offerings, lunches in the clubhouses, prize-giving, firecracker displays,
the burning…). It is a great spectacle to which everyone is invited.
Las Fallas is undoubtedly one of the most unique festivals in Spain and what
began as a feast of fireworks, music and flowers. The focus of the fiesta is the
creation and destruction of Fallas--huge cardboard, wood and plaster statues of
which there are five in Oliva. The city of Valencia has over 400 such statues
and is well worth a visit at this time for the sheer scale and beauty of the
creations. The Fallas depict bawdy, satirical scenes and current events and may
have figures representing politicians or TV personalities. They are crafted by
neighbourhood organizations and take about six months to construct often costing
upwards of 70,000 Euros.
The Fallas remain in place until March 19th, the day known as "La Crema." In
Oliva the five statues are judged for their artistic flair and ingenuity and the
one judged least best is burned at midnight. A huge firework display denotes the
start of the proceedings and fireworks are strung across the streets and join
the statues which very quickly become a raging inferno. The huge crowd which
gathers are pushed back due to the intense heat. The fire service are kept very
busy hosing down the nearby buildings which are so close to the flames. The
crowd all move on to the next statue to be burned and so on to the winner which
is burnt at around 3.30 in the morning to an even bigger and better firework
display.
There are lots of other events during Fallas week one of the most spectacular
being the Mascleta which is held at 2pm every day in Oliva´s Paseo. This is a
firework display all about making as much noise as possible so be warned and do
not stand too close or you will be deaf for days !!
There are processions every day as the members of the Fallas groups build up to
the night of the Crema. The Fallas groups all have their carnival queens and you
can see them in their beautiful traditional costumes walking around the town to
the sound of their own accompanying bands.
On the night of the 17th there is a lovely procession of flowers which are
placed by the Fallas queens on a platform in the centre of the Paseo at the feet
of a image of the Virgin Mary. In Valencia this Offering of Flowers goes on over
2 days when over 40,000 bunches of flowers are used to decorate a 14 metre high
figure of the Virgin.
In Valencia the Crema is of course bigger and better with all the Ninots being
burned at midnight apart from the 5 huge special statues which are burned at
1am. The statue in the town hall square in Valencia is always the last to go at
1.30 am Each year one of the Ninots (small figures which surround the main
Fallas) is spared from destruction by popular vote and is exhibited in the
Fallas Museum.
