What’s On This Weekend: La Crida!
Buen Finde! It’s a double helping of festivals this weekend. Chinese New Year celebrations and La Crida — the official kickoff to Fallas — both take place on Sunday. Benimaclet Carnival is also in full swing.
Expect traffic diversions Saturday and Sunday. The Ayuntamiento website has a map with details.
Festivals & Traditions
Benimaclet celebrates Carnival all weekend with fireworks, a correfoc, and a parade. Full programme via Valencia Extra.
Torrent will mark the Year of the Fire Horse on Sunday with its rescheduled Chinese New Year parade.
Sunday evening brings the main event: La Crida at the Torres de Serranos. An open-air concert, fireworks, and the official start of Fallas. Expect big crowds.
Bonus: In addition to La Crida’s Sunday morning firecracker wake-up (at 7:30 am!) in Calle Corona in El Carmen, it will be Vespa La Falla, when hundreds of Vespas and Lambrettas roll through the city before gathering in La Saïdia.
Coming soon
1 March – Fallas! The first mascletà and nightly fireworks begin. Full schedule at Visit Valencia.
27 February – 1 March – Spain’s leading florists compete in the Copa de España de Arte Floral in Valencia.
Theatre & Film
Teatro Olympia stages Tootsie, the Musical through 1 March — a fun Spanish-language spin on the 80s film. Last chance as well for La Ratonera at Teatre Talia, the Spanish-language version of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap.
February is horror month in Valencia (who knew?!). Both La Nau and Bellas Artes are screening classics from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to The Blair Witch Project, all in original version with subtitles.
English-language writers have two open mics this week: Club Hemingway at Radio City (Thursday, El Carmen) and Booklover’s Open Mic (Friday at Acting in English, Ruzafa).
Coming soon
28 February – Gran Via Antique Book Fair.
Art
IVAM has opened a new exhibition – A Media Lumbre (By Half Fire) – elevating the craftsmanship of traditional material into contemporary art forms.
The Hortensia Herrero Art Center is marking the demise and evolution of its digital art piece, The World of Irreversible Change. For more on how this piece was set to self-destruct and what happens next, see the CAHH video explanation or head there to witness it for yourself.
Live Music
Cabanyal’s annual MUV Fest returns this weekend, spanning afrobeat, rock, pop and jazz. Browse the full programme.
Classical highlights: Palau de la Musica hosts a free organ recital Saturday with Vienna Symphony organist Arno Hartmann (tickets from Friday morning at the box office). Pianist András Schiff performs Bach to Beethoven on Sunday, and the Warsaw Symphony brings Beethoven’s Seventh on Tuesday. Also, La Rambleta launches a new chamber series on Thursday (Debussy and Dvo?ák). The Ceramics Museum may still have free tickets for Monday’s Delara Duo concert.
Contemporary sounds: IVAM hosts hip-hop artist Sofía Gabanna on Saturday (free until full). Friday brings 90s nostalgia to La Pergola. On Sunday, Harlem Gospel Travelers play gospel-funk fusion at Loco Club. Then On Wednesday, up-and-coming Chicago blues artist, Sheryl Youngblood performs at 16 Toneladas.
Coming soon
28 February – Jardí Electronic, Parc Central.
28 February – Les Arts opens Handel’s Julius Caesar.
28 February – Sonido Valencia brings La Ruta nostalgia to Les Arts.
Shopping
Private home clearance sales are becoming the place to find antique gems across the city. Entre Tesoros has one scheduled for this weekend. You’ll need to book a time slot to enter.
Bargain lovers can head to the 1 Euro Vintage Market at Mercado Valvanera on Sunday.
Sports & Games
Roig Arena’s fan zone hosts Copa del Rey activities through 22 February — open courts and basketball events. Details on the ACB events page.
Saturday is the Valencia Duathlon along the Paseo de la Alameda. Plus, the Porsche Sprint Challenge races at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo.
Families can try multiple sports at Montolivet during Esports al Barri.
Coming soon
27 February – 1 March – National Short Track Championships at the Luis Puig Velodrome (info via Atletismo RFEA).
29 March – Registration is open for the 10K Fem women’s race.
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.