Las Fallas is an annual festival held in Valencia, Spain. It’s a celebration of St. Joseph, the city’s patron saint. Better yet, it’s a verifiable pyrotechnic spectacle. While the main events take place across a 4-day period in mid-March, the festivities actually begin on the 1st of the month. All day and night long, fireworks and firecrackers fizzle and pop. Eager bands fill the empty silences with traditional Valencian instruments, pounding their drums and playing the oboe-like dolçaina. Meanwhile, hundreds of food stalls line the streets, their smells of fried goodies and tantalizing sweet treats wafting through the air. It’s truly a feast for all the senses.

Aptly derived from the Latin word for torch (fax), the term fallas refers to the giant monuments that’re constructed throughout the year and eventually burnt as bonfires on the final night of the festivities. Each great falla is made up of smaller structures, or ninots. Often caricatures, these ninots are the perfect pieces to a delightfully quirky, creative puzzle. From the 16th to the 19th of March, these massive monuments are finally put on display throughout the city, designed to be admired and adored. On the final night, every one of them is burned to the ground, ready for the cycle to start again. All in all, it’s the ultimate representation of the Valencians’ passion for fire and fun—it runs through their veins.

Amid the lights, the music, and the fireworks, the traditional festive clothing—with its notable Anglo-French and Moorish-Balkan style influences—is often as elaborate and spectacular as the monuments themselves. Historically, the male falleros would wear a smart, but rather plain, outfit consisting of black trousers, a white shirt, and a black jacket. Now, they wow with waistcoats, sashes, shawls, and headpieces adorned with colorful stripes, intricate patterns, and other bright motifs.

As for the women—or falleras—their 18th and 19th-century-inspired gowns are certainly a sight to see. Shaped with a fitted corset and voluminous petticoat, these dresses are endlessly detailed with floral embroidery, intricate lace, and richly colored patterns that catch the eye. Finally, their hair is intricately braided, twisted, and topped with the famous peineta and rascamonyos comb accessories.

The most important dress of all, however, is that of the Fallera Mayor de Valencia. She is the jury-elected fallera chosen to represent the city—the ultimate honor. Her dress is fashioned from espolín, a special silk fabric that's handmade with a wooden loom. Its floral design is hand-selected each year by the Junta Central Fallera (JCF), the organization that leads the world-famous festival. Finally, the Fallera Mayor is honored with a sash. Decorated with the colors of the Valencian flag, it's a testament to Valencian patriotism and love for community.

Meanwhile, you can spot the rest of the public wearing checked shirts and pañuelos (neckerchiefs)—an easier and far, far cheaper option to show support for the city and its customs.

As always, one thing to keep an eye on during any celebration is the food. Of course, the star of Valencian cuisine is, and always will be, Paella—whether it be La Paella Valenciana with rabbit, chicken, and beans or La Paella de Marisco with delicious seafood sourced right from the city’s shores. So too is Horchata. A delicious sweetened tiger nut refreshment, this Valencian favorite is best when dunked with Fartones, delicate and spongy sweet cakes topped with glazed sugar. Although served year-round, they’re very much worth a try during Las Fallas.

Throughout the month of March, you'll find many more typical snacks in the stalls and food trucks that fill the city's streets. There are roasted chestnuts, both smoky and salty at once; churros, deliciously sugary pipings of choux pastry; and bunyols, sweet pumpkin fritters that’ll have you licking your lips. These delightful treats are often and preferably served with a side cup of hot chocolate. You’ll have to excuse me a moment; my mouth’s watering.

Interestingly, Las Fallas originates from a medieval carpentry tradition. Carpenters would celebrate the Spring Equinox by discarding and burning wood that was no longer of use to them. Over time, they began to add old belongings and rags to their bonfires, giving the wooden piles an almost human-like appearance. Eventually, people decided to dress these wooden stacks with items of clothing, often to resemble neighbors or friends. Children would run throughout neighborhoods, asking for others’ old clothes to add to their bonfires. It brought entire communities together, eventually inspiring them to compete with one another to make the biggest and best bonfire of them all. I guess what they say is true: one man's rags really are another's riches.

And so began the story of Las Fallas. The tradition now occurs every March 19th: Spanish Father’s Day and Saint Joseph’s Day (the patron saint of carpenters). What started as discarded piles of wood chippings and waste has now evolved into million-euros-worth works of art, reduced to ash in a single evening.

Today, the fallas and their ninots range from a few meters tall to a gravity-defying few stories tall. Knowing Valencians and their reputed humor, it’s no surprise to see these fanciful figures in provocative poses, often caricatures of people or events of the past year—I’m sure you can picture a few. Year after year, they become more elaborate, more satirical, and more ironic in character. Eventually, their burning serves as a symbol—a symbol of a humorous yet critical commentary and liberation from the memories we wish to forget.

Every falla is a feat of artistry and engineering. Neighborhood groups, or comisiones falleras, compete with one another to attract the biggest and best artists in hopes of creating the most impressive falla of the year. Huge teams of craftsmen and artisans spend months producing the elaborate constructions, made of paper, wax, wood, and polystyrene foam tableaux. Once complete, the fallas can finally be paraded through the streets before being mounted and marveled at ahead of the big blaze.

Let’s not forget the fallas especiales, the largest and most expensive of them all. Alternatively, each comisión will also produce a falla infantil, a PG version that’s more cartoony and less caricature-y.

Safe to say, Las Fallas is a spectacle in every sense of the word. Every day, from the 1st to the 19th of March, a series of coordinated fireworks displays takes place at 2 p.m. This is known as La Mascletà. Named after the type of fireworks used, or masclet, they’re a sight to see, hear, and smell, from the rumble of the ground and smoky aroma of gunpowder to the deafening, rhythmic 120-decibel explosions and dancing crackles of light. The main mascletà takes place in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, where the Fallera Major will call out from the City Hall balcony Senyor/a pirotècnic/a, pot començar la mascletà! ("Mr./Ms. Pyrotechnic, the Mascletà may commence!"). And so, the Mascletà begins.

Celebrations really get going, however, from the 16th onwards. All ninots must be made and mounted by the morning of the 16th (La Plantà)—a cause for celebration in itself. This is when the judges will award the best ninots and choose the ninot induldat, the only structure to be saved from the eventual burning. Then, everyone can enjoy Amb de las Falles, a firework display at the Plaza del Ayuntamiento to celebrate all who made these fallas possible.

On the 17th and 18th, the city dedicates itself to ‘The Flower Offering’, L'Ofrena de Flors. Each and every comisión fallera of Valencia parades through the city to the Plaza de la Virgen to offer flowers to the Virgin Mary, patron saint of Valencia. The end result is an impressive statue, with great bouquets of flowers bunched together to resemble the patron’s cape. It’s a delight for the eyes and nose, with the delightful aromas lingering for days after. Indeed, it’s an olfactory experience that keeps on giving.

In true Valencian style, celebrations also continue through the night. Indeed, every evening, brilliant firework displays light up the skies over the old Valencian riverbed. These become more and more impressive each day until the main event, La Nit del Foc, on the 18th. Aptly named ‘The Night of Fire’, this particularly exceptional display illuminates the night sky in an explosion of color. It's especially impressive set against the backdrop of the city’s famous monuments, ancient gates, and gargoyle-lined bridges.

Now, for the grand finale. On the 19th, the final evening of Las Fallas, a parade known as the Cavalcada del Foc (The Fire Parade) takes place—a spectacular celebration of fire and a symbol of the festival’s spirit. Then comes La Cremà—'The Burning’. The smaller structures are burnt first, the larger ones soon after. Finally, the main monument at the Plaza del Ayuntamiento is set alight to mark the festival’s end.

Laden with fireworks, the fallas erupt with color and light, transforming into massive bonfires throughout the city. The flaming heat certainly packs an expected punch, capable of driving huge crowds back several meters. Fire brigades stand close by at the ready, dousing surrounding buildings with water to stop them from catching fire or even melting all the way through.

Although it's a shame to see them go, watching the flames reduce these monuments to ash is an artwork in itself.

Perhaps you can understand why UNESCO declared Las Fallas an “intangible cultural heritage of humanity.” It fuels a fire in every proud Valencian and ignites a spark in all those that come to witness it. Ultimately, it's a flame that flickers and grows and never dies out.