What’s On This Weekend: Christmas Lights On!
Buen finde!
Valencia switches on the Christmas lights early this year — with live music, fireworks, and the full fallera court on hand to flip the switch. If you’re planning to go, bundle up: Aemet forecasts temperatures dropping to around 5º as Arctic air sweeps across the peninsula.
For those finalising Thanksgiving plans, I’ve also added some turkey options below.
Christmas Lights
Plaza del Ayuntamiento is dressed for the season with a 25-metre Christmas tree. The Christmas Lighting ceremony is on Friday, 21 November at 19:30, starting with a performance by Melani García, followed by fireworks and the official lighting with the Mayor and the Fallera Court.
Christmas Markets
Most Christmas Markets open next weekend, but a few early ones are here:
The Order of Malta’s Christmas Charity Flea Market runs in Ruzafa until 30 November.
And on Saturday, Ubik Café hosts a mercadito featuring work from 15 Valencian illustrators — perfect for early Christmas prints.
Not just for the holidays, this Sunday is also El Flea Market de Valencia at the Black Bottom Swing Dance Studio, also in Ruzafa.
And Entre Tesoros has another vintage apartment sale this weekend, this time in Eixample.
Thanksgiving Plans
If you’re not ready to jump into Christmas without some turkey, here are a few options:
Hi VLC holds its annual Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, 27 November, this year at La Ferradura.
Democrats Abroad is hosting its Thanksgiving dinner and fundraiser on Saturday, 29 November at Casal Pilar, with live music.
Food Fests
Valencia’s Cuina Oberta continues until 30 November, with special menus at participating restaurants, including Michelin-starred kitchens.
Mercado Colón hosts the Cava Festival this weekend — a ticket includes three glasses of cava plus tapas.
Live Music
On Thursday, 20 Nov, hosts a free concert by experimental sound artist Sergio Sanchez, using vinyl records, samples and vibrations captured by contact microphones to create soundscapes at Las Naves.
Music and improv meet in a free performance by Ecce Homo Followers, reinterpreting Bach and Chopin with audience participation. Friday evening, 21 November at Parque Central’s Nave 3 Ribes.
Folk and blues musicians Kevin Herm Connolly and Los Bartons perform original works at Ascot on Saturday evening, 22 November.
La Pérgola continues its outdoor concert series on Saturday, 22 November at 12:00, featuring Cycle + Los Invaders.
On Sunday, 23 November, the Valencia Symphony performs a free concert at Palau de la Música. Tickets (max 2 per person) can be collected from the box office starting Friday, 21 November.
For Next Week:
Trio Falla plays a free chamber concert on Monday, 24 November at the Ceramics Museum. An email is required to reserve.
Cuban jazz legend Chucho Valdés performs at Les Arts on Thursday, 27 November — tickets still available.
Jardí Electrònic returns next Saturday, 30 November, for an open-air session at Parc de Malilla.
Art
Fundación Bancaja presents a new exhibition featuring the works of Cristina Babiloni, which utilize mixed materials to create large-scale pieces inspired by natural elements, including seabeds and volcanic landscapes, until 22 February.
IVAM, Valencia’s contemporary art museum, is also unveiling a new exhibition, Atreverse a Más. It focuses on the Z Group, a post-war collection of Valencian artists that deliberately tried to break away from the style and teachings of Sorolla. Until 1 February.
On Friday, 21 November, the Casa Axis art space in L’Eliana is opening its doors for a new exhibition of works by Raúl Gandolfo Rosh.
Storytelling & Open Mics
On Thursday, 20 November, Micah Hart hosts Who Knows One, a free comedy-storytelling-meets-trivia game show at the MUVIM, Illustraion Museum (in English).
Club Hemingway returns, also on Thursday, an English-language open mic for writers at Radio City in El Carmen.
Sport & Games
Valencia’s two football teams (Valencia CF v Levante UD) compete against each other on Friday at Mestalla Stadium.
Valencia Basket also has a packed weekend of Euroleague and Endesa League games. Roig Arena is hosting Valencia Basket v Crvena Zvezda Belgrade on Friday.
Free pilates, yoga, and dance exercise classes take place on Sunday under the Puente de la Exposición in the Turia, marking the day against gender violence.
Kids
At the Marina, you can visit the Galeón Andalucía, a replica of a Renaissance-era galleon, docked in Valencia until 30 November before it sails to the United States.
CaixaForum has opened its Dinosaur Academy, a free hands-on activity for little ones visiting the Dinosaurs of Patagonia exhibit. Weekends until 14 December.
Benimaclet celebrates its youngest muixeranga troupe (traditional acrobats) this weekend with activities and music.
That’s it for this weekend. I’ll be updating the calendar and WhatsApp groups as more events come in. Enjoy the Christmas lights!
Author: Atika
Writer and journalist based in Valencia. She mixes hard news with creative storytelling and a dash of local curiosity. You might spot her biking through the city, chasing stories — or just a good cortado.