Over a year later, Valencia’s Fallas festival comes back to life

Valencia, Aug 28 (EFE) – An atypical version of the famous annual Valencian festival of the Fallas returns this year amid coronavirus restrictions to curb the spread of the virus.

The festival was cancelled due to the pandemic in 2020 and was postponed this year to September 1-5.

The five day celebration, which usually attracts up to one million people and displays giant figures across the city, will be marred by strict health restrictions including mandatory face coverings, social distancing and limited capacity.

The traditional burning of the monuments has been advanced a couple of hours to comply with the night time curfew.

Many of the figures prepared for last year, which have been stored for over 17 months, will be displayed too.

Valencians are divided over the event with some wanting to burn the figures meant for 2020 in a symbol of closing the cycle of the pandemic while others prefer not celebrating with last year’s figures tainted by Covid-19. EFE

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