Valencia prepares for the most intense week of its calendar, the Fallas Fair in March
In just over a month, on March 19, La Cremà will take place, in which all the ‘fallas’ exposed in the city of Valencia burn and with which the celebrations of the month of March conclude. But before that, there is a busy agenda of cultural, traditional, gastronomic and, of course, bullfighting activities.
At the end of 2016 the Fallas were declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by Unesco, valued by its Intergovernmental Committee as an expression of “collective creativity” that “safeguards the traditional arts and crafts”. Its origin can be found in the ancient carpenters of Valencia who, on the eve of San José (their patron), burned the old lumber and wood in front of their workshops. Over time they were adorning and giving human form, in the form of satire or criticism of contemporary events, thus emerging the “ninots” that conform the various ‘fallas’.
The festivities begin on March 15 with the “plantà” of all the monuments in the city; on the 17th the prizes are given to the best ‘fallas’ and until the 19th at night the sky is filled with fireworks, topped on the 18th with the Nit del Foc (Night of Fire). In addition to the floral offerings that will form the spectacular mantle of the Virgen de los Desamparados, the parades of ‘falleras’, bands of music and, of course, the gunpowder: from 1 to 19 the “Mascletà” is celebrated every day at 2:00 p.m. Plaza del Ayuntamiento where thousands of people come.
Bullfighting Fair in Fallas
The company of Simón Casas, manager of the Coso de Xàtiva (Valencia bullring) , has presented again an attractive and well-attended fair of popular celebrations and bullfights. These will be from March 10 to 19. As it could not be otherwise, most of the figures will be present and there will be several bullfights, in what is a clear commitment to the quarry. They emphasize the double presence of Román, the farewell of Padilla or the return of Antonio Ferrera. The poster combinations:
· Saturday March 10: erales of Nazario Ibáñez for José Antonio Valencia (Bullfighting School of Arles), Arturo Gilio (Mexico) and Borja Collado (Taurine School of Valencia).
· Sunday 11: Jandilla-Vegahermosa bulls for Juan José Padilla, El Fandi and Román.
· Monday 12: Fernando Peña’s steers for Jesús Chover, Alejandro Gardel and Ángel Téllez.
· Tuesday 13: El Freixo bullfighters for Toñete, Jorge Rico and Marcos.
· Wednesday 14: Alcurrucén bulls for David Mora, Álvaro Lorenzo and Luis David Adame.
· Thursday 15: Fuente Ymbro bulls for Juan Bautista, Daniel Luque and José Garrido.
· Friday 16th: Núñez del Cuvillo bulls for Sebastián Castella, José María Manzanares and Roca Rey.
· Saturday 17: Domingo Hernández-Garcigrande bulls for Enrique Ponce, Alejandro Talavante and Paco Ureña.
· Sunday 18: Juan Pedro Domecq bulls for Miguel Ángel Perera, Cayetano and López Simón.
· Monday 19 morning: bulls by Fermín Bohórquez for the rejoneadores Andy Cartagena, Sergio Galán and Lea Vicens.
Evening: Victoriano del Río-Toros de Cortés bulls for Antonio Ferrera, Román and Ginés Marín.
This year’s poster is the same one with which the Fallas of 1968 were announced, in the reopening of the bullring after the fire that suffered years ago. It is the work of Mariano Benlliure, one of the most relevant artists and the master of bullfighting sculpture.
Popular festivities that will also be present at the Fair of Fallas, by the hand of Toropasión. An attractive poster that will open on March 11 with the novelty of “Desafío Vazqueño de Recortadores y Forcados”. For March 16, “La Nit del Carrer” that will feature a challenge of livestocks, rings and duels of trimmers in a night of public participation. They will close with the “XXIII National Contest of Cuttings”.
