Glenn Wickman
THE Fallas will take place in September this year.
After being cancelled due to COVID in 2020, the Valencia city organising committee voted unanimously to move the festivities that usually occur in March to after the summer.
September 1 to 5 has been set as the new dates for Les Falles 2021 in Valencia, although this once again depends on the sanitary situation.
As it stands, only a sudden interruption of the vaccination process or the appearance of a new, untreatable strain of the virus could cancel the plans.
One of the main bones of contention for Fallas groups is the possible loss of government subsidies – a vital fear of any group given the astronomical cost of building, installing and eventually burning the spectacular papier maché statues, as well as all the other fiesta events.
However, this fear was partly assuaged by Valencia Mayor Joan Ribo – who was present at the voting assembly for the first time ever – by explaining that each case will be examined individually.
Most Fallas groups had previously called for the festivities to take place in July, to coincide with the summer holidays and guaranteed good weather, although finally the Spanish Health authorities set the beginning of September as the earliest date for mass public celebrations.
As well as the regional capital, the Fallas are held in up to 100 towns and cities throughout the region, with each local association having the second-to-last say – after the Health department – about whether or not to hold them at some point in September or wait until next year.
Two of these, Manises and Elda (Valencia Province), have already announced that they prefer to hold out until March 2022, when the coronavirus pandemic should be much more under control and there will be less possibility of the fiesta being cancelled at the last minute.
Other neighbouring towns, such as Aldaia and Paterna, have already pencilled in their Fallas for different days in September.
As well as the actual monuments, the Fallas involve a huge number of activities and people, including flower offerings, extremely loud mascleta firecracker displays, parades, exhibitions and much more.
READ MORE:
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