Buen finde! Here’s your round-up of events happening around Valencia this weekend.
The city is still celebrating its birthday – and the selection of a new Fallera court – by wrapping it up with the International Fireworks Symposium this weekend. The Volumens Festival for digital arts and music kicks off at major cultural venues. Meanwhile, Benimaclet and Orriols host the ConFusion Festival, a colourful community arts festival and a good excuse to explore two neighbourhoods.
From Sunday, check the weather before heading out: Aemet is forecasting storms with possible heavy rain.
Festivals and Traditions
The International Fireworks Symposium closes with Thursday’s show at Cabanyal beach and the grand finale on Friday at Alameda. Check the link for times and programs.
The ConFusion Festival is a good excuse to explore new neighborhoods. Popular with university students, Benimaclet still retains its village charm. While multi-cultural Orriols is changing rapidly. Check the festival program to see what events are scheduled.
Art
The World Press Photo Exhibition opens Saturday 17 October at the Chirivella-Soriano Foundation in El Carmen and runs to 8 November. It’s always popular and features some of the most arresting photojournalism of the past year.
Volumens Fest, a digital arts and music festival, is spread across several venues including Bombas Gens and CaixaForum until 18 October. The full programme is worth a look.
Closing Soon: Anselm Kiefer’s expanded exhibition at CAHH ends on 25 October. La Albufera at IVAM is also coming to a close.
Music
Nashville singer-songwriter Will Hoge brings Americana and Southern Rock to Loco Club for two nights. 90s Britpop keeps reviving in Valencia as Teenage Fanclub play Sala Moon on Friday. Plus, German electronic trio Mouse on Mars play CaixaForum as part of Volumens Fest’s music programme.
On the classical side, the final nights of Carmen are already sold out but Mark Elder conducts the Valencian Symphony in a Strauss and Tchaikovsky programme at Les Arts on Friday. Or check out percussionist Alexej Gerassimez playing at Palau de la Musica with the Valencia Orchestra on Saturday. For fans of contemporary classical, Inside Glass at Matisse Club is a good pick.
Good news for jazz and world music lovers: Burning House in Cabanyal is celebrating its birthday with a weekend of free concerts, from flamenco jazz to cumbia fusion.
Dance at Tango El Grau is on Friday 16 October. Mercado El Grao is one of those lovely little corners of Valencia that wins you over with community events, and this is a social dance dedicated to the art of Tango.
Food
Also in the neighborhood at the Antiguo Estación del Grau, seafood lovers can sit down to picnic tables of fresh scallops, shrimp, lobsters and octopus. It’s part of MarisGalicia, the annual seafood festival that highlights the seafood bounty of Galicia.
Thursday, 15 October is also World Bread Day and Valencia’s bakers are scheduled to celebrate with an artesanal bread fair at Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Free tastings and workshops from 10:00 to 14:00. With the current protest encampment, however, the event may shift its location and times.
Community Calendar
Jon’s Tours runs three guided day trips this week: Thursday 15 October to San José Caves and Vilafamés, Friday 16 to Peñíscola and the Ebro Delta (river cruise, Ecomuseum, old town and castle), and Saturday 17 to Albufera, Paella and Chocolate. Places are limited and fill up.
Valencia Walks & Talks has a new slate of guided tours and talks about Valencia. On Thursday, Alexey Timbul explains Why Spain Owns Football. And if you don’t know your Gran Via de Marqués del Turia from your Avenida de Regne de Valencia, then Sunday’s Battle of the Boulevards is for you.
Buy Nothing is hosting a gifting and receiving event at Turia Park, near Gulliver’s Playground, on 25 October from 11:00 to 13:00. Bring or take home Halloween costumes, clothes, toys, kitchen finds, books, decor and more.
If you want to see more community events or post your own, send us a message to join the Pont de Valencia WhatsApp Community.
Coming Up
Open House Valencia, the annual architecture festival, opens the doors of some of the city’s most iconic and historic buildings for guided tours, with walks on 23-25 October. Registration is required and opens Monday 19 October at 12:00.
Also, next week Fiesta del Cine is on. The city’s cinemas will be offering showings for just €3.50 from 19 – 22 October. This includes VOSE screenings at Ciney Lys, Cine Babel and Yelmo Cinema. Bookings can be made directly with cinemas or through the festival website.
Ruzafa has plenty to celebrate with local fallera Beatriz Blanco clinching the title of Valencia’s Fallera Mayor. This year, the city’s favorite hipster neighborhood combines with Malilla and Quatre Carreres for an autumn edition of its Russafira festival from 31 October to 1 November. Not too many details available yet on this neighborhood fest, but expect afternoon and evening activities in Parc Central.
