Introduction
The core celebration week for the 2026 Fallas festival in Valencia, Spain, is set for March 12-19. As a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the Fallas festival will transform the entire city of Valencia into an open-air stage for art and revelry with a dense schedule of firework displays, the installation of the fallas monuments, religious offerings, and the grand finale of the burning ceremony. Below is the main schedule of events during the festival’s peak.
Daily Spectacles: Mascletà and Nightly Fireworks
A daily tradition throughout the festival’s main week is the Mascletà, a thunderous firecracker performance held at 14:00 in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, famous for its deafening, rhythmic explosions.
At night, the sky is illuminated by spectacular fireworks. Key firework events include:
- March 15 at 23:59: The ’L’Alba de les Fallas’ (The Dawn of the Fallas), where fireworks are set off simultaneously across the city, with the main display at the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
- March 16-17 at 23:59: Major fireworks displays near the Puente de Monteolivete.
- March 18 at 23:59: The ‘Nit del Foc’ (The Night of Fire), the festival’s grandest and longest fireworks show, also takes place in the Puente de Monteolivete area.
The Birth of the Fallas: The Plantà and the Ninot Indultat
The installation of the Falla monuments (the Plantà) is the visual centerpiece of the festival. All children’s fallas (Fallas Infantiles) must be fully assembled by 9:00 AM on March 15. The deadline for the main fallas (Fallas Mayores) is 8:00 AM on March 16.
During this time, the ‘Ninot Indultat’ (the pardoned ninot) is chosen. The single ninot (figure) saved from the fire by popular vote will be preserved in the Fallas Museum.
- March 14 at 17:30: Announcement of the 2026 pardoned children’s ninot (Ninot Indultat Infantil).
- March 15 at 17:30: Announcement of the 2026 pardoned main ninot (Ninot Indultat).
A Pilgrimage of Faith: The Flower Offering (Ofrenda)
March 17 and 18 are the traditional days of the Flower Offering. Starting at 15:30, members of the various Falla committees (falleros and falleras), dressed in traditional costumes, parade with bouquets of flowers to the Plaza de la Virgen to offer them to a giant statue of Our Lady of the Forsaken. The main routes to watch the parade are Calle de la Paz and Calle San Vicente.
The Final Purification: The Fire Parade and the Cremà
March 19 is Saint Joseph’s Day (Día de San José) and the final day of the Fallas, where all events culminate under the theme of ‘fire’.
- 19:00: The ‘Cavalcada del Foc’ (Parade of Fire) starts from Calle de La Paz and proceeds to la Porta de la Mar, setting the stage for the final burning across the city.
- 20:00: The burning of the children’s fallas (Cremà) begins throughout the city.
- 21:00: The children’s falla in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento is burned.
- 22:00: The burning of all the main fallas across the city begins.
- 23:00: The main falla in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento is set ablaze, bringing the Fallas festival to a close in a spectacular inferno.
Visitor Information and Consumer Tips
During the Fallas festival, extensive traffic restrictions will be in place in Valencia’s city center, and crowds will be immense. Visitors are strongly advised to use public transport. Furthermore, the local consumer association (AVACU) advises tourists to check for business licenses and price lists when buying from street food stalls. As a reference, a portion of buñuelos typically costs between €7 and €12, while churros range from €5 to €10. It is recommended to ask for a receipt after purchase to protect your consumer rights.
