Celebrations come in different forms: The unique features of Spain’s Las Fallas Reportage on Caliber.Az

Celebrations come in different forms. For instance, in Azerbaijan, working and non-working days have been rearranged. A corresponding decree was signed by Prime Minister Ali Asadov. According to the document, to ensure continuity between working and non-working days, the working days of March 27 and 28, 2025, have been swapped with the non-working days of March 10 and April 1.

In Azerbaijan, March 20-24 are public holidays in celebration of Novruz. Since March 22 and 23 fall on a Saturday and Sunday, March 25 and 26 will also be considered non-working days. Additionally, this year, March 30-31 will be non-working days in Azerbaijan due to the celebration of Ramadan.

As a result, a total of 12 consecutive days (March 20-31) will be considered non-working in Azerbaijan.

And this decree applies throughout the country. However, even on non-working days in Azerbaijan, supermarkets, private dental clinics, pharmacies, as well as urban and intercity passenger buses continue to operate.

Things are quite different in Spain. In the town and municipality of L'Alfàs del Pi, which is part of Alicante in the Valencian Community, one of Spain's most spectacular festivals took place over several days. This festival is called Las Fallas. The final day of the celebration was March 19, following festivities that began on March 15.

Las Fallas is a unique blend of art, fire, and tradition dedicated to Saint Joseph (San José), the patron saint of carpenters. The festival traces its roots back to the Middle Ages when local carpenters would mark the day of their patron saint by burning wooden structures (parots) that they had used as light sources while working.

Over time, these simple structures evolved into human-shaped figures, turning into satirical representations mocking social phenomena and famous individuals. As the years went by, the tradition transformed into a grand festival, during which artisans create enormous sculptures out of cardboard, wood, and foam – known as ninots. Some of these sculptures reach heights of 20-30 meters!

Traditionally, the celebration involves setting up these figures throughout the city, accompanied by loud pyrotechnic shows and grand fireworks displays. The climax of the festival occurs when all the figures are burned, except for one (which is preserved in the Fallero Museum). Unfortunately, all of this took place not in our city, but in the neighboring cities of Benidorm and Valencia. However, what I saw was enough to understand just how deeply the Spanish people cherish their traditions.

So what exactly did I see and hear? On March 19, for example, I woke up to the sound of explosions. During the three years of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war, very similar sounds can be heard every night. These are Ukrainian air defense forces shooting down Russian drones and missiles. But above Spain, as the classic said, the sky is cloudless. So what was it? It was firecrackers being set off by colorfully dressed men. They walked in groups of 6-8 people, with a police officer at the front and another at the back. These groups walked down one narrow street, then turned onto another. And this went on all day long. At times, it felt as though these men had simply lost their way in their hometown and couldn’t remember the way out of this “labyrinth.” I’m joking, of course. Mostly because, over these few days, I somehow got used to the sounds of drums, brass instruments, and applause—things that are part of this festival’s atmosphere.

Another feature of the festival is the procession of smiling Spanish women walking through the same narrow streets, dressed in traditional national costumes. There were women of all ages—both young señoritas and elderly señoras. The residents of the surrounding houses and the visitors to the cafés waved at them. Speaking of cafés, that's something I want to highlight.

During the festive days, not all dining establishments are open. Many pizzerias, pubs, coffee shops, and cafés are closed—its staff are resting, enjoying life. But what is even more striking is that all pharmacies, private dental clinics, supermarkets, clothing stores, toy shops, and hair salons are closed. In short, almost everything is closed. The locals have already stocked up on everything they need and visited both men's and women's beauty salons. It’s unfortunate for those who decided to visit a nearby town using public transportation, as city and intercity buses do not operate, and taxis must be waited for, with fares several times higher than in Baku. Meanwhile, life in Madrid and many other cities in Spain goes on as usual. They do not celebrate this festival there—they have enough of their own celebrations.

Here’s an example of Spanish federalism. The local executive authorities here have very broad powers. And, to top it off, in each large region of the country, there is its own president. Yes, there is the Valencian Community (Comunitat Valenciana), and it is headed by the President of the Generalitat of Valencia (Presidente de la Generalitat Valenciana). This is the head of the regional government. But that’s a completely different story.