Any country that can turn a tomato fight into an annual festival knows how to party. I’m talking about Spain and, in particular, Valencia, the third largest city on the East Coast, which is celebrating its annual Fallas Festival this week. If you’ve ever found yourself in a foreign land during a large festival, you’ll know how rewarding and fun it can be to immerse yourself in the culture and indulge in some street and travel photography.
Sometimes however, finding the right information and navigating crowded streets can be tricky, which is why I’ve put together this guide for photographing the Fallas festival so that you can get the most out of it. After living through at least 18 festivals and counting, I know two things for sure: first, you’ll have a blast, and second, you won’t sleep for a week!
What is Valencia’s Fallas Festival?
The Fallas Festival is a UNESCO heritage festival celebrated in the Eastern Spanish city of Valencia every March. It’s a bit like Mardi Gras meets the UK’s bonfire night, but on steroids, and traditionally is a celebration that welcomes in springtime.
The festival is famous for its towering fallas statues, which are elaborate, often satirical sculptures made of wood and polystyrene that are displayed on almost every corner throughout the city. For days, the streets buzz with brass bands playing at all hours, parades, fireworks, and the scent of gunpowder. The festival culminates in La Cremà, or the burning, when the fallas are set ablaze in a spectacular night of pyromania. It’s a chaotic and vibrant celebration that, as a resident, you either love or hate. However, it’s quite an experience and a virtual treasure trove for street and travel photographers.
When is Las Fallas Celebrated?
The main dates of Valencia’s Fallas Festival run from March 15th to March 19th, though the festivities actually kick off earlier, with events starting in late February. The final five days are the most intense and exciting, featuring daily mascletàs (deafening firework displays), parades, and the stunning Ofrenda de Flores, where offerings of flowers are made to the Virgin Mary. The festival reaches its fiery climax on the night of March 19th, known as La Cremà, when the elaborate fallas sculptures are set ablaze in a breathtaking display of flames and fireworks.
Note that the festival is mostly happening in the city of Valencia, with a few of the surrounding villages taking part. The region of Valencia (which includes Alicante) doesn’t necessarily celebrate it, so if you want to catch the chaos, head for the city of Valencia and book accommodation in advance.
Key Events to Photograph During Las Fallas Festival
Daily Mascletá
2pm Daily, Plaza del Ayuntamiento from March 1-19th
This one is difficult to explain, you have to witness it to truly believe it. Essentially the mascletá is a daytime firework display designed for the noise rather than the visuals. It takes place daily in the run-up to the festival at 2 pm in the town hall square in the centre of Valencia. It usually draws a big crowd, with the intensity (and number of people watching) building up until the culmination on the last day of the festival on the 19th. You can see in the video below what to expect.
This is not for the faint of heart, and I definitely recommend earplugs, with the noise levels topping 130Db on the last day. It’s pretty intense. If you don’t like crowds or loud noises I’d probably sit this out, however, experiencing it once is quite something.
What to shoot: a video of the craziness of the daytime fireworks and how noisy they are to prove to all your friends back home!
The Ofrenda
15:30 pm until late, 17 & 18 March, Calle la Paz/Calle San Vicent Martir up to Plaza de la Virgin
The Ofrenda de Flores (Offering of Flowers) is one of the most heartfelt and visually stunning traditions of Valencia’s Fallas Festival. Over two days (March 17th and 18th), thousands of falleros and falleras, dressed in traditional Valencian costumes, parade through the streets carrying bouquets of flowers.
These offerings are placed at the Plaza de la Virgen to create a massive, colourful tapestry depicting the Virgin Mary. It’s a beautiful blend of devotion, artistry, and community spirit, making it a highlight of the Fallas celebrations. Each village brings its own wind band to accompany the falleras. I predict that this year’s procession will be particularly poignant after the devasting floods that hit the city and outlying villages in October.
What to shoot: Close ups of the falleras in their traditional costumes, the general processions, the flowers as they get placed in the statue of Mary.
The Fallas Sculptures (la plantà)
Every street corner/crossroads from the 15th March (notable neighbourhoods: Russafa, Calle Jesús, Cánovas)
The Fallas sculptures are what give the festival its name. These towering structures are made from wood, papier-mâché, and polystyrene and can reach several stories high. They are often whimsical, thought-provoking, or satirical and typically feature exaggerated caricatures of politicians, celebrities, or cultural icons, poking fun at current events and societal issues. One such example was the giant face mask that was placed over the main statue outside the town hall in March 2020 when the pandemic caused the festival to be postponed.
Each Fallas is designed and built by local artists (it’s a real job!), and the largest ones cost tens of thousands of euros. They are displayed throughout the city, essentially transforming Valencia into an open-air art gallery. Each Fallas sculpture is made up of various ‘ninots’, or characters. The sculptures are judged during the festival, and the winning one gets some of the ninots preserved in the museum.
“I love seeing the creativity behind the Fallas,” says photographer Jerrica Brown. “It is incredible how the team of artists come together to imagine, design, and build a sculpture as big as several story buildings. And they use art to bring mention of issues that are important in the community and world at large. It is storytelling through art.”
What to shoot: Take a stroll around the neighbourhoods outside the city centre, and you will stumble across multiple different statues. Take photos of the details, of them being constructed, and, of course, of the whole thing (if you have a wide enough lens).
Nightly Firework Displays
00:00 h, Puente de Monteolivete, Turia River, 16, 17, 18th March
One highlight of the festival is the nightly fireworks displays (for the visuals this time!). I have to admit that they are among the longest displays I’ve ever seen, with the final night (dubbed the Nit Del Foc, or night of fire) lasting around 30 minutes. It’s possibly the only time I’ve been bored watching a fireworks display! Saying that, however, they employ some of the world’s best pyrotechnics, and they are impressive. If you ever wanted to try out fireworks photography, this would be a great opportunity.
What to shoot: Fireworks! In the night sky! Video or try your hand at some creative techniques like this.
Cabalgata del Fuego (Fire Parade)
7pm, Calle la Paz, 19th March
If you haven’t guessed by now, then the fallas festival is all about fire! The final night of the festival features a spectacular fire parade, complete with devils juggling fire and sparklers. Once again, it wouldn’t be complete without some firecrackers. The streets tend to fill up quickly so get there early if you want to see anything.
What to shoot: It’s a parade, so general parade-type stuff!
La Cremà
8 pm for the children’s statues, 10 pm for the large ones, 10:30/11 pm for the final one in Pl. Ayuntamiento, 19th March
My favourite part of the Fallas Festival has to be the final night when they burn all the Fallas statues to ash. It’s an incredible display and always full of anticipation and excitement. Each neighbourhood burns them at slightly different times, so if you’re lucky, you can see more than one burn. Watch out for the popular neighbourhoods like Russafa because they do get extremely crowded.
The final one to be burned is the large one in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. You can’t get too close because the flames are extremely hot, but it makes for some great photographs. Especially with all the firemen and police dousing nearby buildings and trees with water to prevent them from catching fire.
What to shoot: The excitement, the fallera starting the fire, the flames, the emergency workers, and the clear-up crew afterwards.
Moments to Photograph During Las Fallas 2025
“Fallas is all about the live music, the stunning dresses, and the strong sense of community”, says photographer Rosie Mayell. “As a street photographer, I love capturing the little quirky moments—the explosion of colours, the intricate patterns, the gorgeous but painfully uncomfortable shoes, and the way old traditions clash with modern life. Fallas isn’t just about the big events; it’s also about the smaller local gatherings, the churro stands, and the everyday magic happening in the parades and crowds,” she adds.
And of course, she is correct. The beauty of a large international festival is often in the peripherals and quiet moments that happen alongside the main events, although to be honest, you won’t find too many quiet moments during Fallas week!
Here are a few more ideas of things to watch out for:
Street Parties and Traditional Food
You’ll notice that many streets have huge marquees and tables set up outside. Unless you’re part of a casual (the traditional fallas club) you won’t be allowed inside the party tents, however you can enjoy the live music that often happens alongside.
You’ll see the traditional Paella Valenciana (the original paella recipe made with vegetables, chicken and rabbit) cooked on open fires in the middle of the street. Food trucks of all kinds line up along the streets, particularly the one selling the traditional churros, bunyols and liquid hot chocolate to dip them in.
Falleras in Their Traditional Dress
One of the spectacular parts of the festival are the falleras, the girls and women who wear the traditional outfit for the duration of the festival. It’s an elaborate costume, complete with jewellery and a hairstyle that would make Princess Leia proud.
The outfits can cost upwards of $3000, so they are worn on several occasions throughout the year. However, the main event is, of course, Fallas week. Each one is different and often passed down through families. Check out the shoes as well, because they usually match the dresses!
Firecrackers in The Street
One of my least favourite parts of the festival is the petardos, or firecrackers, that are sold during the festival. These range from tiny popping ones to actually quite large dangerous ones. You’ll see kids and their parents lighting these everywhere and anywhere. A couple of years ago, I overheard an incredulous tourist announcing that he’d just seen a baby throw a firecracker out of a stroller! For this reason, I strongly recommend investing in a decent pair of earplugs!
A Word About Safety
While Valencia is definitely one of the safer European cities to visit, it still has its fair share of pickpockets and thefts, and sadly, it is catching up towards Barcelona’s reputation in this aspect. During the Fallas festival, because of the large crowds, you need to be especially aware of your belongings, especially your camera equipment. Don’t leave bags unattended, and secure valuables as best you can.
If you feel a little claustrophobic from the large crowds of people my advice would be to escape to a back street as soon as you can and take a little breathing space. Most of the crowded areas are concentrated along the main streets and plazas. And wear those ear plugs, you’ll thank me for it later!
“Fallas is definitely one of those festivals you either love or hate—there’s no middle ground”, agrees Rosie. “It’s loud, intense, and definitely not for the faint-hearted or anyone who hates noise! It’s a mix of tradition and spectacle. Whether you’re into it or not, it’s a wild and unique way to welcome spring!”
Finally, have fun, take some great photographs, and embrace your inner youth. Sleep is overrated, anyway!
