The world’s biggest fire party: Join the flaming fun at Spain’s Las Fallas Festival

Text / Compiled and reported by the editorial team of MOOK Travel Life Network

To experience a foreign culture, besides trying local food and visiting attractions, participating in local festivals is also a great way to go. The world’s largest and craziest fire-themed celebration — the “Valencia Fallas Festival” — takes place every year from March 13 to 19, and with its grand scale, it is ranked alongside the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona and the Spring Festival in Serbia as one of Spain’s top three major festivals.

The Valencia Fallas Festival originally began as a celebration to honor Saint Joseph (San José), the patron saint of carpenters. In the past, carpenters used to light candles inside hollow candle holders — often carved with figurines — to illuminate their workshops during winter nights. Over time, the tradition evolved into burning these wooden candle holders to commemorate Saint Joseph, symbolizing the farewell to winter and the arrival of spring. As the years passed, the fires grew larger and larger. What started as small figurine-adorned candle holders has now transformed into massive wooden statues. Competitions are even held, and only the first-prize-winning creations are spared from being set ablaze.