They're almost here!!

Is anyone here going? Is our own Valenciano_en_Madrid attending? If so, I hope he'll give us his impression and share his experiences.

Official dates for Valencia 's 2008 Las Fallas are 15-19 March 2008 but ceremonies begin even earlier.

Last year I was in Valencia City until the day before LAS FALLAS began. I would've liked to have stayed but I had to get back to Madrid and besides, the city is booked solid, not a room to be found. This festival is A BIG DEAL!

I was browsing www.FALLAS.com and the OFFICIAL Las Fallas guide and see festivities actually begin.

24 February 2pm: The first MASCLETÁ takes place in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

1-19 March 2pm: Daily MASCLETÁ on the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. The mascletá is the fireworks display, mostly loud noisemakers, all confined within a rectangular metal wire fence.

15-19 March: The actual burning structures after midnight (1am) and daily parades and other events.

Saludos, MadridMan

I was planning on going this year with some friends who live in Malaga. Unfortunately the tour was cancelled. Las Fallas falls during Holy Week this year and they did not have enough interest. I will have to wait until next year.

We are going to take a tour to the Lisbon area the week after Easter. I haven't been to Portugal since the 70's.

Wow! Las Fallas(pronounce LL like English J), probably the craziest festival in Spain. If you are afraid of firecrackers and big noises and crowds, please do not visit Valencia in Fallas.

This year Valencia city will be crowded as ever before because this year the Semana Santa is the same week as the Fallas.

Very important advice, as MM said the Fallas are from March the 15th to March the 19th.
The fallas(the monuments) get burned the 19th at midnight, then workers clean the city and the next day streets are opened again to the traffic and life gets back to normal and the festival is totaly over till the next year. I say this because many Spaniards think the festivals start on March the 19th, the day of Sant Joseph.

If you cannot go to Valencia during the festivals, at least you can enjoy the mascletaes (sound fireworks, very noisy) every day at 2pm from March the 1st. On February the 24th great night fireworks will be shot. On March the 2nd there is the "Cabalgata del Ninot" parade.

If you have decided to visit Valencia, do your hotel reservations as soon as posible, they are in just 30 days time.
Fallas

I'd found that website, http://www.fallasfromvalencia.com/index.htm (in English and Spanish), before but couldn't see it because it only works in MSIE - not in Firefox (which is what I use).

Now that I look at it in MSIE I find it amazing!! It's FULL of information - but nothing about finding lodging . It's probably too late anyway. On their RECOMMENDATIONS page they state: REALLY?? At THIS time of year (Las Fallas) it'll be "hot"? Last year, just a few days before Las Fallas, I was comfortable in my short sleeve shirts and jeans during the day but didn't find it "hot". And I was the ONLY person wearing short sleeved shirts! Everyone else was wearing jackets all day long as I recall and no one was on the beach. Oh well. No matter.

Saludos, ValenciaMan

hope to see some of your great pictures Damian
always look forward to them

MadridMan,
Last year you had bad luck with the weather, it was really, really windy, that was very unsual.

March in Valencia city can be a bit crazy, sometimes it can be rainy or very windy, even cold, but in general is hot. At 2pm. you can wear only a T-shirt if it's sunny, temperatures could reach 25Cº. Minimum temperatures at night are around 10Cº.
Of course the sea waters are cold in March, about 15Cº, while in August are about 26ºC.

As for the pictures, I will post some here after Semana Santa holidays.

I was there in 2006 , and highly recommend it to anyone . The noise at the mascaleta is unbelivable , you can feel it going through the ground and up through your body in your chest . The virgin mary is built with flowers which the parade goes on day and night with people in tradional dress bringing flowers and the flowers get thrown up to the guys on the virgin mary placing them to make the virgin which starts o
off as a head on wood . There is a firework display every night at 0100 ( i think ) and on the 18th there is a big one at 0130 ( i think but better check yourself ) its best to goto the bridges to watch these . There is 2 bullfights a day , concerts etc , and its a nightmare trying to get somewhere to eat on the last night .

Just five days for the Fallas, next saturday evening. Hurry up! there are some rooms left, you are still on time.

The Valencian TV will show on the internet some of the festivities.
Click on videos to watch the mascletaes (day fireworks). The small black circle you'll see on the screen are the number of decibels that firecrakers produce. The experience is indescribable, the heat, the smell of gunpowder, the noise, the people.
Fallas 2008 on Valencian TV


Here you have some videos from Youtube. It's hard to imagine what it's like if you haven't been there.

Night fireworks (called castillos de fuegos)
Before the parade
Are the band players drunk?
dancing in the street

The Fallas, the monuments (made of wood and papier-mache)
Fallas compilation youtube
Fallas compilation youtube

Oh Damián...I am so envious of you right now!! Have a great time!

MAN!! I too wish I could be there! And while I can't, you can be sure I'll be dividing my Semana Santa time here in Madrid watching Las Fallas in Valencia and the Semana Santa processions in Sevilla and Andalucia on TV.

Saludos, MadridMan