Valencia is home to a centuries old festival called Las Fallas.

We are going shortly to La Crida, the official opening of the 4 week long event, but in the run up, the city has been getting gradually noisier all day, with periodic loud (LOUD!) fireworks and groups of falleros and their families and friends (and musicians) making their way towards the festival.

Falla is a Valencian word for torch; the essence of the festival is that many elaborate statues are created out of wood, fiber etc., and the best voted on. The best go into a permanent museum collection and the rest are burned in enormous bonfires, and amid huge fireworks displays, at the culminating “Crèma” in mid- March.

Captured a small bit of video of one of the groups :

This is just one of about 10 groups we’ve heard/seen today.