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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.








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