Las Fallas
By: Cindy Martinez
¿Quién(es)?
The people who love in the communtiy and tourists.
¿Qué?
In this festival paper-mach states are burned. The statues are usually a representation of famous people. The statues usually end up having holes that are hidden within the statue base and then lit up at night, and setting them on fire.
¿Cuándo?
This begins on March 15th thru March 19th.
¿Dónde?
It takes place in Valencia, Spain. It happens inthe center of the city, and the community of Valencia come together to witness this marvelous event.
¿Por qué?
Its said that the festival is connected to a pagan celebration of the spring equinox. This origin goes all the way back to 1497 when artisans and carpenters took a simple but long lasting initiative. There were oil lamps that hung carelessly upon wooden structures. It's said that a clumsy and maybe inspired worker that set a wooden structure on fire, and let it burn. The celebration was adopted to celebrate the arrival of warmer and longer days. This was then dedicated to San José, the patron saint of carpenters.
¿Cómo?
Its said that it takes a lot of time to make these structures. The communities as a whole raise the funds to put on these huge celebrations. These are fireworks that are stuffed into the bases of the structures and then are lit up, and allowed to go off. This also happens to be a fire hazzard, but the firmen are there to keep the flames at bay. In some cases the fire does end up spreading.
¿Qué significa?
'La Nit de Foc'- La Nit de Foc happens on the final night, the 19th of March. This is the moments everyone waits for. This night in which they light the beautiful statues that have been created.
'La Mascleta'- La Mascleta is an event that starts a 2pm. At this time you will hear explosions all over the city that have been organized.