Terry Gilliam Loves Mascletàs!

Terry Gilliam is in Valencia today to look for locations for his latest production 'The Man Who Killed Don Quixote'. He was accompanied to a Mascletà, the midday firework display of noise that takes place each day in the Plaza Ayuntamiento during Fallas, by members of the Valencia Film Office and was said to be very impressed. The movie, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, about a man who time travels between the present day and 17th century La Manchahas been beset with problems since its conception and has been the subject of a documentary 'lost in La Mancha.

Las Fallas

Las Fallas is almost upon us. It officially starts on the 15th of March and ends on the night of 19th March with La Cremà - when the entire city appears to be on fire. For a full description and everything you need to know about the wonderful Festival click on the headline.
All Photos ©2008/9/10 Diana Birch

America's Cup 33 - It all Starts today!

Yesterday the AC Park at Port America's Cup was buzzing for the Official Opening Cermony of the America's Cup accompanied by one of the most spectacular Mascletàs (daytime firework displays) the city has ever seen. Today sees the first race with BMW Oracle Racing winning the toss to start the race from the starboard tack - Follow the races live on americascup.com and follow our tweets twitter.com/gooruvlc for latest through the day.

Rita, the Mayoress of Valencia at Mascletà in Fallas

Every day in Fallas at precisely 2.00pm there is a Mascletà, a gloriously noisy firework display that is so popular that the city population swells to watch and to listen, It is so popular it is also played live on the television and indeed, the radio!!
Valencia's larger than life Mayoress is there on the balcony each day with the Falleras and her guest to watch and then to sing the hymn of Valencia.

More mascletas daily!

Those of you who, like us, adore the 2pm ritual of the fireworks and the accompanying extreme noise of the daily Mascletas in Valencia, are in for a treat - click on the headline to be taken to our Fallas Firwork page where we have each day's performance very soon after the live event. You can watch them all there, from day one to the end of the festival, updated daily. The bar to the right of each film shows the decibels. We recommend the Mascletà from the 07th March as being the best so far!
And if you want to know more about fallas, there is more and more on the site each day as it approaches.

The First of March - Fallas First Official Mascleta

It's a beautiful hot day here in Valencia and today was the first fully official Mascletà. And what a Mascletà! The rest of the nineteen will have a lot to live up to -and before any one coments to say there are only 18 more - don't forget the Mascleta on the beach at Malvarrosa this coming Sunday!

Let us know if you want us to keep posting the good ones!

Let the Mascletas begin!

Tomorrow the 01st of march is the first of the 19 Macletàs in the Town Hall Square in Valencia, The Ayuntamiento. At 2pm sharp each day, this one is by PEÑARROJA of Vall d'Uixó.
A specially constructed steel mesh cage is in place in the square to protect the audience, which grows and grows over the next days until it is hard to find a place to stand any where near it.

The Crida - The celebration Mascleta

It's a slightly overcast day in Valencia, but the Mascletà was good.
What's a Mascletà? you ask.
It's a daytime firework display, so noisy that you are advised to keep your mouth open to avoid damage to your eardrums!
A mascletà traditionally takes place at 2pm every day from the 01 March to to the 19th (thanks to anonymous for pointing out our mistake in saying the 20th!) in the Ayuntamiento. (the City's Town Hall Square) They get better and longer as Fallas progresses.
Turn up the volume for this one!

The Crida - Fallas is officially launched today

Today is the day Fallas is launched to the public in Valencia. It all started at 8am this morning with a fantastic display of fireworks in the Ayuntmiento, the city's Town Hall Square. This was followed by a mass breakfast for all the Falleras and Falleros. Then the brass bands assembled in the Plaza de la Virgen (pictured above), to play and march to the Ayuntamiento. Then there's a huge mascleta, daytime fireworks.
At 8pm this evening the place to be is the Torres de Serrano, where there will be more bands, a light show and you'll get to see the Fallera Mayor and her court, followed by more fireworks, probably.

Fallas begins with an exhibition of Ninots

Fallas really got under way yesterday with the opening of the Exhibition of Ninots on an extremely hot day, at Nuevo Centro. There were demonstrators with placards outside, against the banning of the fireworks for children, and in response to the news from Tenerife that part of the Carnavale has been banned because of noise. Valencians are worried that Fallas will be next affected.

Though Mayoress Rita Barbèra, below arriving to open the exhibition, has publically stated that she will not allow Fallas to be affected

At one o'clock the first Mascleta was set off- quite a small one and the wind was high so the coloured smokes didn't hang around. But it was good and loud!

We snapped the firemen leaving after the show was over, they were not the ones in the Calendar we talked about last month!
The Exhibition, by the way is open every day from 10.00h to 20.30h and is 2euros for adults and 1euro for children