Cabalgata del Fuego
An incandescent and intriguing parade. Demonic and enigmatic silhouettes welcome fire into the city of Valencia, preparing the public for the arrival of the fallas’ Cremà
Cabalgata del Fuego in a nutshell …
The Cabalgata del Fuego, or Cavalcada del Foc in Valencian, is a spectacular fire parade that takes place in Valencia on the evening of March 19th, marking the grand prelude to the Cremà, the final act of the Fallas festival.
Location: The parade moves through Calle Ruzafa and Calle Colón, ending at Plaza Porta de la Mar.
Time: Starts at 7:00 PM on March 19th, just before the burning of the fallas.
Entry: Free to watch from the streets along the route.
Main Attractions: A dazzling display of fire performers, stilt walkers, acrobats, and elaborate floats featuring mythological creatures like dragons and demons, culminating in a fireworks finale.
Origins: Dating back to 19th-century Valencia, the parade revives historic fire rituals that were abandoned in the 1930s and reintroduced in modern times.
The Cabalgata del Fuego, also known as Cavalcada del Foc in Valencian, is a traditional parade held every year in Valencia right before the Cremà, the closing act of the Fallas festival. This extravagant Fire Ride goes through some of the most central streets of Valencia, acting as a prelude to the end of Fallas, a call for people to gather for the final bonfire.
The protagonists of the parade are the flames and the spectacle. You can expect to see dragons, snakes, demons, and all kinds of animals being depicted in the magnificent floats of the Cavalcada del Foc (Fire Cavalcade in Valencian). The fire eaters and dancers walk the streets of Valencia executing their evocative choreographies. Stilt walkers and acrobats produce uncanny shadows in the midst of smoke and colourful flames.
On the evening of the 19th of March, about 300 fire demons prepare Valencia for the arrival of the flames that will engulf the fallas all over the city. The Cabalgata del Fuego is a homage to fire, an act meant to prepare and excite people for the upcoming Cremà. The rhythm of the tabals and the tunes of the dolçainas follow the advancing procession towards Plaza Porta de la Mar. Here, the final fireworks will make the show even more colourful.
This expressive ritual creates an atmosphere of great expectation. Flames have been introduced and will remain the protagonists of the night until the last ambers of the burnt fallas finally turn to ashes later in the night.
If you’d like to learn more about the Cremà that follows the parade, you can read our article about it.
The Cavalcada del Foc really is a profusion of silhouettes, shadows and demon-like figures that hypnotise the public against a smoky and fiery backdrop. The artists that take part in the parade are not always the same, but there usually are musicians, dancers, acrobats, and of course pyrotechnic performers.
The Origins
The tradition of the Cabalgata del Fuego dates back to 19th-century Valencia, when the custom of fire rituals and celebrations was common. Back then, animals such as eagles and turtles were represented in fire processions. In the early 1930s, these fire parades took place, representing fire beasts, demonic figures and other fantastic creatures.
However, the ritual fell into disuse and was soon abandoned. It was only recently that its heritage was recovered through the use of floats, demonic representations, dances and fire shows. The Cabalgata del Feugo is now an established prelude to the Cremà.
The Floats
These artists, usually dressed like demons and otherworldly creatures, make the parade unforgettable with their floats in the shape of mythological dragons and snakes. Their flames and pyrotechnic displays delight and amaze the public with fanciful shapes and elaborate choreographies.
The group Colla de Dimonis de Massalfassar closes the parade with their fire show, which usually includes La Tortuga. This is a ten-metre long and 5-metre wide aluminium turtle, which, thanks to the artists hidden inside, moves and shoots glowing sparks from its shell. The turtle is apparently a reference to the one carried by the Masons’ Guild during festive processions in 18th-century Valencia.
The Participants
Some of the recurring presences are of course the Falleras Mayores with their Cortes de Honor and traditional Valencian music, usually played by musicians from school such as the Escola de Tabal i Dolçaina i Cant d’Estil de Junta Central Fallera and the Escola de Música Tradicional La Xafigà.
The fire performers are normally all local, with various groups all coming from different towns in the region, like the Colla de Dimonis (Demon Gang, in English) from Massalfassar, a town 15 km north of Valencia. Previous guests have included the Dimonis Emplomats de Beneixama, the Dimonis Enroscats de l’Alcúdia, the Diabòlica de Morvedre, the Dimonis de la Plana, the Botafocs de Castelló, and Espectáculos Pyros from Banyeres.
Schedule and Route
With the exception of unforeseen circumstances, the Cabalgata del Fuego always takes place at the same time and day. The route the parade takes is also always the same.
At 7:00 pm on the 19th of March, the parade starts from Calle Ruzafa and continues through Calle Colón towards Plaza Porta de la Mar, where it will end.
If you’d like to see what other events take place on the days and hours near the Cavalcada de Foc, you can check the Fallas calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here you can find quick answers to all of your questions. Linked, you’ll find the articles or the sections of the articles that can give you more detailed information.
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The Cabalgata del Fuego, also called Cavalcada del Foc, is a fire parade that takes place every year during the last day of Fallas.
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The Cabalgata del Fuego is on 19th March at 7:00 pm.
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The Cabalgata del Fuego serves as a prelude to the fallas’ Cremà.
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The Cabalgata del Fuego starts from Calle Ruzafa, continues on Calle Colón, and finishes inPlaza Porta de la Mar.
If you’d like to see a map of the route, you can check out the relevant section of this article.
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The tradition of the Cabalgata del Fuego dates back to 19th-century Valencia, when the custom of fire rituals and celebrations was common.
The tradition was abandoned in the mid-1930s, and it was recently recovered.
If you’d like to know more about this, you can check out the relevant section of this article.
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The Tortuga is one of the pieces that closes the parade. It is a large aluminium turtle that shoots fire from its shell.
If you’d like to know more about it and the other floats in the parade, you can check out the relevant section of this article.
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Yes, as with almost any Fallas event there are fireworks and firecrackers. However, this is primarily a fire parade, not a firework display.
