What’s On This Weekend: Cabalgata del Ninot
Buen Finde! Fallas is in full swing — and the weather is playing along. Expect fireworks, festival spirit, and packed streets all weekend.
It also means road closures to plan around. Calle La Paz will be closed Saturday evening for Fallas festivities. Then on Sunday, a political protest over the management of the 2024 DANA disaster will block Calle Colón. Valencia Extra has more details.
Festivals & Traditions
Cabalgata del Ninot – The parade of the ninots returns Saturday at 5:30 pm. Expect satirical floats mocking politicians, celebrities, and just about everything else, winding along Calle La Paz toward the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
Mascletà & Fireworks – Daily mascletàs run from March 1 through March 19 in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento at 2pm. Crowds gather well before — arrive early if you want the full, rib-rattling experience. Sunday also brings a special 8 pm fireworks show.
If you time it right, you might snag some torreznos — fried pork belly — from Falla Tío Pep. According to Valencia Bonita, the casal is hosting a “Macromascletà de Torreznos” on Sunday, selling the salty, greasy snacks to hungry mascletà fans.
If you’re craving something quieter than gunpowder and brass bands, the Copa de España de Arte Floral is taking place this weekend in La Petxina.
Theatre & Literary Events
Beyond Fallas, the cultural calendar is busy!
La Rambleta is staging Dangerous Liaisons, while Teatro Olympia presents a musical version of the 80s hit Tootsie. Both could be fun options for Spanish learners who already know how the stories unfold.
It’s also opening weekend for the Antique Book Fair along Gran Vía. Meanwhile, Feria Valencia fills with comics, anime, and manga fans for Salón del Cómic.
Film buffs can catch the final classic horror screenings at La Nau, including the 1960s masterpiece The Innocents, with discussion in Spanish.
La Filmoteca is screening Billy Wilder’s screwball comedy Midnight in its original version.
And CaixaForum kicks off a cycle of music documentaries in original language with Spanish subtitles, exploring figures such as Gustavo Dudamel and John Lennon.
Art Exhibitions
IVAM opens Territoris en trànsit on Thursday, featuring works by Anna Talens and Mar Guerrero. Free entry at 7 pm for the opening talk and cocktails.
Istorik Gallery in the historic center presents a new exhibition by sculptor Pau Román.
Coming soon:
6 March – Fundación Bancaja opens an exhibition focused on the final decade of Antoni Tàpies.
Live Music
This weekend’s music lineup spans everything from garage rock to grand opera.
Rock & Indie – La Rambleta hosts its annual Wachina Wachina Fest on Saturday. Japanese funk-rock band Zoobombs plays Sunday at Loco Club. Over at 16 Toneladas, Brazilian garage rockers Autoramas perform Sunday. Early next week, March 4 brings punk night at 16 Toneladas with Total Chaos (Pomona, California) and Jawless (London), before shifting gears to Latin dance grooves with Micromambo.
Electronic Beats – Gregorian chant — but make it techno. GregoTechno lands Thursday at Sala Jerusalem. Jardí Electronic returns to Parc Central on Saturday for early evening beats, while Sonido Valencia brings La Ruta nostalgia to Les Arts.
Jazz – Matisse Club hosts Venezuelan jazz trumpeter Chipi Chacón on Thursday. The Rale Micic Trio from New York performs 4 March at Jimmy Glass Jazz.
Opera & Classical – Les Arts opens Handel’s Julius Caesar on Friday — its first time staging the grand opera. If a full production feels ambitious, Berklee at Les Arts offers a reinterpretation inspired by the opera on Thursday and Friday. Palau de la Música hosts Cuarteto Casals on Thursday and Friday, while MuVIM offers a free Sunday concert with Helen Duo (violin and cello).
Traditional & Flamenco – Les Arts presents La Maria, an award-winning voice in contemporary Valencian music, on Friday. Nave Ribes in Parc Central hosts a weekend of boleros and a guitar-making workshop focused on Cuban music. Both events are free, though the workshop requires reservations.
Coming Soon
7 March – Dona Festival celebrates women-led beats with a Fallas tardeo at Parc Central.
Sports
The Copa del Rey Volleyball national championship takes place this weekend at Fuente de San Luis.
The Short Track Championships are at the Luis Puig Velodrome.
For something distinctly Valencian, Va de Dona highlights women’s pilota. Exhibition matches take place on Thursday at Trinquet Pelayo, followed by a public try-it area on Friday in Plaza Manises.
Coming soon:
22 March – Registration is open for the Pas Ras 10K by the Marina.
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.