Valencian left-wing political party Compromís has demanded that the Valencian City Council cease all advertising of the city’s famed Las Fallas celebration for fear of mass tourism spoiling the event for locals.
Valencia’s most famous celebration, Las Fallas, has in recent years been attracting more and more visitors, which has led some residents and politicians alike to claim tourism during the event is getting out of control.
Papi Robles, spokesperson for Valencian left-wing coalition group Compromís, recently said in a press conference that “Las Fallas have become the best example of overtourism in Valencia. Clogged streets, misuse of fireworks, and excessive alcohol consumption are far removed from the spirit of the Fallas festival. Many Fallas committees are already complaining. Uncontrolled tourism could cost the people their festival”.
Robles criticised right-wing PP mayor María José Catalá, saying that she is letting tourism get out of control.
“Catalá boasts about record-breaking Fallas, but behind the numbers is a city overwhelmed and neighbourhoods are suffering. It is irresponsible for the mayor of Valencia to ignore this situation and continue selling Valencia out to uncontrolled overtourism”, he argued.
Robles has called for change, along with a serious debate on the future of the festival with Fallas participants, residents, and experts to put a stop to a situation that has become unsustainable in recent years.
READ ALSO: What is Valencia’s Fallas celebration all about?
Valencian Compromís councillor Pere Fuset has added his point to the debate saying that “Valencia deserves a festival model designed for the people who live here and make the festival possible, not for the tourism sector’s figures.
“We need to reclaim the Fallas for the people, allowing them to enjoy them without overcrowding or the displacement of residents,” Fuset stated.
He added that “the goose that lays the golden eggs is no more,” in reference to Las Fallas, “as the lack of control has meant that the top goose is crapping on the bottom goose. And the bottom one are the local residents.”
READ ALSO: Spain’s Valencia shuts down over 1,000 illegal tourist flats in 18 months
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For his part, Fallas councillor Santiago Ballester disagrees with putting a complete stop to advertising the festival. He sees it as normal to promote the city’s main fiesta and cultural heritage.
He attributes the issue of overcrowding to timing and believes that if the cremà (burning) falls on a weekend, it’s a lot busier than normal. The burning or cremà takes place on March 19th, which in 2026 will fall on a Thursday.
Valencia City Council also recently approved a Fallas rulebook, which outlines the permits and restrictions that will apply during the festivities.
It includes new rules with regards to street parties, which can now only be held between March 7th and 14th or from March 16th to 18th in the afternoon or evening, but cannot last more than 5 days.
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There are also new regulations regarding fireworks and street markets. “Fireworks must respect the peace and quiet of neighbours and animal welfare, and must be avoided between 9 and 10am and between 3pm and 5pm, except in exceptional circumstances. Their use will also be prohibited in the Turia Gardens and in children’s play areas.
Las Fallas is Valencia’s main festival, held each March. During the celebrations, neighbourhoods are filled with giant elaborate papier-mâché sculptures for everyone to admire.
Then on the night of March 19th, they’re all ceremoniously burned all at once.
During the festival there are also daily firecrackers, regular nightly firework displays and cultural processions of Valencians wearing traditional dress and making flower offerings to the Virgin in front of the Cathedral.
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