Spain's "Fallas" festival ends with burning of giant ninots

Record ID: 472121

  • Title: Spain's "Fallas" festival ends with burning of giant ninots
  • Date: 20th March 2017
  • Summary: VALENCIA, SPAIN (MARCH 19, 2017) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS MAIN FALLA OF THE CITY IN THE TOWN HALL SQUARE FALLING DOWN IN FLAMES FALLERA TAKING A PICTURE OF THE BURNING FALLA FIREMAN CONTROLLING FIRE BY SPAYING WATER WITH FIRE HOSE FIREMAN ON A CRANE CONTROLLING FIRE WITH FIRE HOSE FIREMAN ON A CRANE SPAYING WATER FIREWORKS IN MAIN TOWN HALL SQUARE (SOUNDBITE) (English) YOUNG AMERICAN STUDENT, KAYLEEN GRAHAM, SAYING: "My favorite thing about Fallas is the unity and how in Spain everyone comes together from all over the world, and we see some really spectacular fires and we see what Spain is all about". THE MAIN CHILDREN'S COURT FOR THE CHILDREN'S FALLERA MAIN CHILDREN'S COURT FOR THE CHILDREN'S FALLERA BEING PHOTOGRAPHED BY PRESS CAMERAWOMAN MAIN CHILDREN'S COURT FOR THE CHILDREN'S FALLERA WITH THE MAYOR OF VALENCIA JOAN RIBO AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE VALENCIAN GOVERNMENT XIMO PUIG THE MAYOR OF VALENCIA JOAN RIBO AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE VALENCIAN GOVERNMENT XIMO PUIG SMILING SURROUNDED BY THE COURT OF THE YOUNG MAIN JUVENILE FALLERA MAIN CHILD FALLERA CLARA PAREJO SETTING HER FALLA ON FIRE FIRECRACKERS LIGHTING THE FIRE IN THE MAIN JUVENILE FALLA MAIN CHILDREN'S FALLA BURNING DOLL OF THE MAIN CHILDREN'S FALLA BURNING DOLL SITTING DOWN WITH BOTTOM ON FIRE MAIN CHILDREN'S COURT FOR THE CHILDREN'S FALLERA CRYING WATCHING THE FALLA BURNING MAIN CHILDREN'S COURT FOR THE CHILDREN'S FALLERA WITH SEVERAL KIDS CRYING MAIN CHILDREN'S FALLA BURNING WITH THE TOWN HALL IN THE BACKGROUND
  • Embargoed: 3rd April 2017 11:30
  • Keywords: Las Fallas festival Spain festival Fallas
  • Location: VALENCIA, SPAIN
  • City: VALENCIA, SPAIN
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: Human Interest/Brights/Odd News,Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA00168RKQ55
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The Spanish city of Valencia's five day festival known as Las Fallas ended at midnight on Sunday (March 19) with a ceremony in which nearly 380 papier mache sculptures were set alight.
    The crowded city, which has celebrated the annual tradition with fireworks, costume parades, paella contests, bullfights and street parties for almost a week, came to an end with the burning of the famous "ninots" sculptures located all over the city.
    With the street lights turned off, fireworks marked the start of the burning ceremony and the light from the huge bonfires of paper mache statues illuminated the coastal city.
    Every year, the different districts of Valencia build a "Falla", which takes the whole year to design, build and paint, and compete to win the first prize in the city contest.
    Neighbourhood residents attending the ceremony were joined by their "Fallera Mayor" and "Fallera Junior Mayor", adult and child representatives of the local Falla association. They are chosen by their neighbours to represent them and hold the title for a year.
    Every year one Falla is saved from the flames thanks to people's votes, and it is moved to The Museum of the Fallero Artist for posterity.
    The big papier mache statues usually represent Spanish political events in an ironic and sarcastic way, laughing at politicians, stars and local stories, but they also include recent events from the world agenda.
    The celebration is thought to have originated from pagan festivals celebrating the end of the winter and is also considered a homage to Saint Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters, builders of the sculptures.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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