Valencia Events, Fiestas and Festivals
(Valencia, Valencian Community, Spain)
A major city with a host of attractions, Valencia is also known for its considerable calendar of events, with many large and impressive festivals taking place throughout the year in the Valencia area. Every February, carnival season arrives in the city and Valencia is home to a number of lively processions and celebrations.
Other notable festivals and events in Valencia include Las Fallas each March, the Semana Santa Marinera (Holy Week) around Easter time, the Procesión del Corpus Christi in June, and the Noche de San Juan at the end of June - famous for its fireworks and bonfires. Also worth a mention, the Feria Internacional de Valencia (FIV) is a major event and takes place in December.
National Public Holidays
- 1st January - Ano Nuevo / New Year's Day
- 5th January - Epifania / Epiphany
- 19th March - Dia de San José / St. Joseph's Day
- Late March or early April - Jueves Santo / Maundy Thursday
- Late March or early April - Viernes Santo / Good Friday
- 1st May - Fiesta del Trabajo / Labour Day
- 15th August - La Asunción / Feast of the Assumption
- 12th October - Nacional de Espana / National Day
- 1st November - Todos los Santos / All Saints' Day
- 6th December - Dia de la Constitución / Constitution Day
- 8th December - La Inmaculada Concepción / Feast of the Immaculate Conception
- 25th December - Navidad / Christmas Day
Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015
January
- Cabalgata de los Reyes (Three Holy Kings / Wise Men) - January 5th, with three locals who dress as the Three Wise Men and parade around central Valencia, distributing gifts and sweets to the many children lining the streets.
- Festividad de San Vicente Mártir (San Vicente Mártir's Feast Day) - January 22nd, religious celebrations centered around Catedral de Valencia (Valencia Cathedral), which stands in the Plaza de la Reina.
February
- Carnaval - mid-February, a time for celebration and partying, Valencia's February carnival is just one of many similar events around Spain at this time and includes a host of general festivities, such as street parties, concerts, dancing, and partying well into the night.
March
- Las Fallas - mid-March, without doubt the highlight of Valencia's calendar of events, Las Fallas is a famous festival, known throughout Spain. Literally hundreds of large models of major landmarks and buildings are paraded through the streets of the Old Quarter, and then finally burnt on huge bonfires, together with thousands of fireworks, outdoor concerts, food stalls, dancing and music. Las Fallas is a week-long festivals with plenty of things to see every day.
April
- Semana Santa Marinera (Holy Week) - early April, a national holiday, with festivities and celebrations leading up to Easter, including parades along Valencia's streets with biblical characters carried along the route. The events culminate towards the end of the week, as Good Friday approaches, with a number of gastronomical events serving many local dishes.
- Fiesta de San Vicente Ferrer - mid-April, honouring Saint Vicente Ferrer, a local saint known for his religious miracles, with reenactments along the decorated streets of Valencia's Old Quarter.
- Moros y Cristianos - mid-April, an important festival remembering the battles between the Christians and the Moors, which were held around Valencia during the 1400s, featuring a number of parades with colourful costumes.
- Danza Valencia (Dance Valencia) - mid-April, a prominent dance festival held every year in either mid-April or early May, with various international competitions around the city.
May
- Fiesta del Cristo del Grau - May 4th, an important maritime event held each year at the beginning of May, along the scenic waterfront in Valencia's Grau district, where a religious statue of Christ from the Santa Maria del Mar Church is transported by boat and then along the streets.
June
- Fiesta de San Bult - early June, a notable religious event based around Saint Bulto, with a procession through Valencia's historic Xerea area of the Old Quarter, leading to the Plaza de San Bult.
- Nits al Castell de Xàtiva (Festival of the Performing Arts) - early June, live music and dances held at the Xátiva Castle throughout June.
- Procesión del Corpus Christi - early June, a religious festival with a parade of colourful costumed 'Giants' and 'Bigheads' (Gigantes y Cabezudos) and other characters from history, decorated floats, bands and an authentic Spanish atmosphere.
- Fiesta de San Juan - late June, a major event in Valencia and all over Spain, celebrating the Summer Solstice and the longest day, with traditional festivities, including street parties, concerts and fireworks, together with parties well into the short night.
- Noche de San Juan - late June, with moonlit bathing in the waters of both the Playa de Las Arenas and the Playa de La Malvarrosa, together with beach bonfires, music events, dancing and a spectacular fireworks display, which reflects in the waters along the coastline.
July
- Feria de Julio - late July, a massive festival held at the end of July at various venues around Valencia, with a local fair along the Paseo de la Alameda, the popular 'Battle of the Flowers', bullfights, concerts, fireworks displays and various other outdoor events.
- Certamen Internacional de Bandas de Música (International Contest of Bands) - early July, in conjunction with the Feria de Julio, this historic competition was first held at the end of the 19th century and each festival is different, with marching bands, outdoor concerts and other events, based around either the Plaza de Toros (Valencia Bullring) or the spacious Palacio de la Música (Music Palace), with further related events held at neighbouring towns and villages.
August
- Filmoteca d'Estiu - early August / early September, a popular open-air film festival, with many movies and cult films shown in the beautiful gardens surround Valencia's Palacio de la Música (Music Palace).
- Cordà de Paterna - late August, known locally at 'La Corda', this outstanding event in held at the neighbouring town of Paterna, just 3 miles / 5 km from the city of Valencia. A famous fireworks extravaganza dating back around 100 years, the Cordà de Paterna attracts enormous crowds who arrive to enjoy both the display and the decorated streets.
- Tomatina de Bunol - late August, this legendary 'Battle of the Tomatoes' takes place in nearby Bunol, located around 25 miles / 40 km from Valencia, on the second from last Wednesday in August, when around 30,000 people arrive to throw enormous piles of tomatoes at each other.
September
- Fiesta de La Virgen de la Salud (Virgin of Good Health) - mid-September, held in the nearby town of Algemesi, 35 km / 22 miles from Valencia, which includes the exciting Human Pyramid Festival.
- Bienal de Valencia - late September / early November, Valencia's biennial festival actively promotes a range of art works, by both local and international artists, together with a number of concerts and theatrical events.
October
- Festival Internacional de Pirotecnia (International Fireworks Festival) - mid-October, a magnificent spectacle, with colourful fireworks combined to loud music to create a memorable theatrical display.
- Fiesta de la Comunitat Valenciana - October 9th, an important and historic cultural event, remembering Saint Dionis, with local traditions including gifts of marzipan figures from men to their loved ones.
- XXII Mostra Valencia Cinema del Mediterrani - mid-October, one of the area's most popular film festivals, with a notable awards ceremony held at the Palacio de la Música (Music Palace).
November
- Road Racing World Championships / Valencian Moto GP - mid-November, huge crowds attend this race at the Ricardo Tormo circuit.
December
- Feria Internacional de Valencia (FIV) - late December, the International Fair of Valencia, with more than 100 exhibitors and many seasonal gifts, attracting over 300,000 visitors each year.