Las Fallas - Spanish

Hello! I am a special festival from Valencia, Spain. My name is Las Fallas. When people celebrate me, they build huge, colorful statues. These amazing statues are called fallas. They can be as tall as big buildings! Imagine looking way, way up to see the top. The statues often look like funny cartoon characters that are telling a story. You might see a giant dragon, a silly-looking king, or a colorful animal. Walking through the city streets during my celebration is like walking through a giant, outdoor art show.

Do you wonder how these giant statues are made? People in neighborhoods work together all year to build my fallas. It is a big job! First, talented artists design them and make drawings. Then, many helpers build the statues using wood and paper. They carefully shape every piece. When the statues are all put together, they get painted with lots of bright colors. Red, blue, yellow, and green make them so beautiful and cheerful. Children get to be artists, too! They make their own smaller statues called fallas infantiles.

After all the fun, my last night is the most exciting of all. This special event is called la Cremà, which means 'the burning.' Everyone in the city gathers in the streets to watch. People watch as my big, wonderful statues are burned in giant bonfires. The fires glow brightly in the night sky. It is a way to say goodbye to the cold winter and welcome the warm spring. Burning the old statues makes room for the new. It means it is time for everyone to get ready for a new year of planning and building all over again.