BENIDORM FALLAS FIESTA, MARCH
BENIDORM FALLAS FIESTA 15th to 19th MARCH
This fiesta goes back to Pagan times and comes from the Latin word Facla which means Torch. This is one of the biggest most popular and unique of all the fiestas held through out the year, it is colourful and very very noisy with lots of firecrackers from the early hours until late at night. This fiesta always end on 19th March which is another very important day here in Spain, Fathers Day.
Today the Pagan side of it is forgotten and San José (Saint Joseph), the patron saint of carpenters, is the official focus for the festival. Carpenters used to hang up planks of wood called ‘parots’ in the winter to support their candles when they were working. At the beginning of spring these pieces of wood would be burned as a way of celebrating the end of dark, winter working days. After a while they began to put clothing on the ‘parot’ and then started to try to make it identifiable with a well-known local personality giving the people the opportunity to publicly mock and/or criticise unpopular events or people. These are what are today called the ‘ninots’, the enormous cardboard, wooden, polyurethane, Styrofoam, cork, plaster and papier maché figures of today. The authorities later decided to link the burning of the ‘parots’ with Saint Joseph’s Day to try to stop it getting out of control!. So basically this fiesta marks the beginning of SPRING and fresh beginnings.
Benidorm Fallas Fiesta, March
Each district and in Benidorm there are three, Els Tolls, Benidorm Centro and the Rincon de Loix will spend the entire preceding year constructing these elaborate giant Ninots.
These Ninots are displayed for 4 days to give people time to inspect and admire them, they are placed in each of the 3 districts one can be found at the end of Levante beach, near Burger King, the 2nd in the Old Town, near the Bristol Hotel, the 3rd again in the Old Town on Calle Tomas Ortuno (near the underground car park).
These are burnt (the Crema) on the 19th see schedule below.
And please don’t think you can rest up during the day to prepare yourself for the evening’s bombardments. After you’ve been unceremoniously startled awake at 8 o’clock.
Falla - Although this fiesta is called THE Fallas, the falla is the name of the effigy/statue.
Plantà - This is the name given to the act of assembling and placing of the statues.
Ninot - This is the name given to the figures
Cridà - This is a call made by the authorities and the falleros / to the citizens and visitors, encouraging them go out to celebrate.
Mascletà - Not to be confused with normal fireworks, the mascletà is one of the most important acts of Fallas. The word comes from masclets, which are a type of firecrackers the sound can reach over 130 decibels. However loud you think this is going to be you’ll be wrong. There is no way of beginning to describe the amount of noise generated. Pregnant women are forbidden from attending, keep your mouth open to allow the sound to escape and not echo around your head – so they say – but be prepared to feel the ground shake beneath your feet.
Despertà - The falleros (men) and falleras (women) walk through the streets of the town at 8 in the morning, accompanied by a band, while throwing firecrackers and wake up the neighbours so that they take to the streets for the celebrations.
Ofrena: This is the flower offering where the falleros and citizens dressed in typical traditional costumes will give gifts to their patron saint.
Nit del Foc - This is the night in which the longest fireworks display of all the Fallas will be held, it always takes place in the evening/night before San José (Saint Joseph’s day)
Cremà - The main event of the Fallas, this is held late at night/early hours of the morning of the 19th, this is when the beautiful monuments are burned.
BENIDORM FALLAS FIESTA SCHEDULE 2023
March 15th
"PLANTÁ" (setting up) of the Fallas:
Falla Benidorm: Plaza Doctor Fleming (near the Town Hall).
Falla Rincón: Av. Ametlla de Mar (near Burguer King).
Falla Els Tolls: Tomás Ortuño street.
March 17th
08:00. "DESPERTÀ" (waking up by the sound of firecrackers and music), in the streets surrounding Falla “Els Tolls”.
12:30h Parade and visit to Falla “Els Tolls” of the members of Falla “Rincón de Loix” and Falla “Benidorm Centro”
18:00 h. Parade and visit to Falla “Rincón de Loix” of the members of Falla “Els Tolls” and Falla “Benidorm Centro”.
23:30 h. Nocturnal parade, of Falla “Benidorm Centro”. ITINERARY: Plaza SS.MM Los Reyes de España (Town Hall), Rioja street, Ruzafa street, La Palma street, Alameda del Alcalde D. Pedro Zaragoza, Mayor street, Metge Cosme Bayona street, Plaza del Torrejó, Virgen del Sufragio avenue, Martínez Alejos avenue, Gambo street, Plaza de la Hispanidad, Puente street and Plaza SS.MM Los Reyes de España.
March 18th
08:00. "DESPERTÀ", in the streets surrounding Falla “Els Tolls” and Falla “Rincón de Loix”.
Around 12:00 h. Parade of the three Fallas around their respective quarters.
18:00 h. FLOWER OFFERING to the Virgin of the Suffrage and Saint James, with the participation of the three Fallas. They will meet at avenue Europa /Avenue Mediterráneo. ITINERARY: Mediterráneo avenue, Dr. Pérez Llorca street, Martinez Alejos avenue, Alameda del Alcalde D. Pedro Zaragoza, Mayor street and Plaza de San Jaime
March 19th. Saint Joseph day (Spanish Fathers Day)
08:00-08:30 h. "DESPERTÀ", in the streets surrounding Falla “Benidorm Centro” and Falla “Rincón de Loix”.
11:30 h. Falla Els Tolls: Mass, in honour of Saint Joseph, at Buen Pastor Church.
12:00 h. Falla Rincón. Mass, in honour of Saint Joseph, at Nuestra Señora del Mar Church.
13:00 h. Falla “Benidorm Centro”. Mass, in honour of Saint Joseph, at Saint James Church.
14:00 h. MAGNIFICENT "MASCLETÁ" (firecrackers sound show) All three Falla will launch their Mascleta at the same time.
Falla “Benidorm Centro” (Plaza SS.MM Los Reyes de España). The Falla Centro will launch its mascletá on Otoño Street, so between 06.00 and 15.00 hours the section between Primavera and the parking of l'Aigüera will be without circulation. Finally, the Falla Els Tolls will perform its mascletá in the upper part of Tomás Ortuño between El Cruce and the streets Ondulada and Maravall, a section that will be cut between 05.00 and 15.00 hours.
Falla “Els Tolls” (Tomás Ortuño street)
Falla “Rincón de Loix” (Mediterráneo avenue/ Ametlla de Mar avenue) - Corner of Loix will remain closed to traffic between 07.00 and 15.00 hours the section of Mediterranean Avenue between Ametlla del Mar and Castellón, central direction. During the shooting of the Mascletà, vehicles will not be allowed to pass in this section in the direction of Rincon de Loix.
18:30 h. BIG PARADE OF FLOATS, with the participation of the three Fallas, starting at Rincón de Loix. ITINERARY: Av. Juan Fuster Zaragoza, Av. Ametlla de Mar, Av. Mediterraneo and ending at Esperanto street (near Hotel Madeira Centro).
Bonfires CREMA:
22:30 h. "CREMÁ" (Bonfire) of the children Falla “Rincón de Loix”.
23:00 h. "CREMÁ" of the children Falla “Benidorm Centro”.
From 22.00 hours, and due to the 'cremà' of the monuments of the Falla Benidorm Central District, vehicles will not be allowed to pass through Doctor Fleming Square.
23:30 h. "CREMÁ" of the Falla “Rincón de Loix”.
00:00 h. "CREMÁ" of the Falla “Benidorm Centro”.
00:30 h. "CREMÁ" of the Falla “Els Tolls”
Please note all of the above is translated from Spanish. - IMPORTANT The Tourist Information Office and Benidorm Seriously are not responsible for any changes that may occur to the above schedule.
AVERAGE WEATHER TEMPERATURES FOR MARCH
SPRING STARTS 20th
Daylight saving time 2019 in Spain will begin at 2:00 AM on Sunday, March 31st
Temperature 14°C 57°F
Low Temperature 9°C 48°F
High Temperature 19°C 66°F
Sunshine Hours 9 hrs
Chance of Sunny Day 44 %
Rainfall 23mm
Rainfall days 7 days
Chance of Rain 18 %
Chance of Cloudy Day 18 %
Sea Temperature 15°C 59°F
Chance of Windy Day 18 %