Category: Archive

Valencia Weekend: Easter Parade, Fireworks and Live Music

Buen Finde! It’s Easter weekend. Expect some road closures and traffic restrictions around the Cabanyal area for Semana Santa Marinera processions. A quick heads-up:

  • Some supermarkets are closed today (Good Friday)
  • Most will be closed again on Easter Monday (April 21)

Semana Santa Marinera

Valencia’s Holy Week processions center around the seaside neighborhoods of Cabanyal, Canyamelar, and El Grau. These traditional fishing communities host processions on:

Fireworks

  • Midnight Saturday to Sunday at the Marina Clock Tower
  • 1:00 AM Monday morning at Plaza de Martí Grajales (next to Cabanyal Market)
    Fireworks info here

Easter Holiday Activities (Kids & Families)

CaixaForum – Kids’ workshops building 3D “sliceform” sculptures
Details

Climate Change Observatory – A week of FREE kids’ activities (in Spanish, registration required)
More info

Hortensia Herrero Art Center – Family art workshops during school holidays
See program

Foodie Tip: Almuerzo for a Cause

EsmorzAvant is helping revive eateries in flood-hit areas — and they’ve made a Google Map to help you plan your next almuerzo.
Explore the map

Sports & Games

Football

  • 22 April – La Liga: Valencia CF vs RCD Espanyol @ Mestalla
    Tickets
  • 18–20 April – Valencia International Girls Cup @ Turia Park pitches
    Info

Basketball

  • 19 April – Endesa Women’s League: Valencia Basket vs Celta Femxa Zorka
    Buy tickets

Live Music This Weekend

Jazz & Flamenco

Jimmy Glass Jazz

  • 18 Apr – Flora de Geuss Quartet
  • 19 Apr – Guida Baucia Quartet
  • 24 Apr – Hakan Brostrom Quartet
    ? Lineup

CaixaForum – FREE Afro-jazz: Doudou Nganga & Eric Simone Duo, 19 Apr
Info

Matisse Club

  • 20 Apr – Jazz Jam Session
  • 22 Apr – V-side Collective + jam session
    Details

Les Arts – Flamenco singer Manuel Morena Maya, 24 Apr
Program

Rock & Pop

Radio City

  • 18 Apr – Rumba Santa (Latin-ska-rock)
  • 19 Apr – Diagnóstico Binario (Indie rock from Alicante)
  • 20 Apr – FREE Funk Jam
    See schedule

Loco Club

  • 19 Apr – Marmi (Album Launch)
  • 20 Apr – Caifás Duo: Jesus Christ Superstar
  • 24 Apr – Ciao Marina
    Events

16 Toneladas

  • 21 Apr – Dean Wareham + Gazella (Indie-pop)
  • 22 Apr – FREE Rock Jam
  • 24 Apr – Death Valley Girls + Desert Vipers (Hard Rock)
    Lineup

La Rambleta

  • 24 Apr – Swedish rock band Graveyard
    Tickets

La Casa de la Mar

  • 24 Apr – Singer-songwriter Pablo Grande
    More info

House & Electronic

La Fábrica de Hielo – 18 Apr House night w/ Phanor, DJGameboi & Tomasso Pizzelli
Event page

Classical

Palau de la Música – 23 & 24 Apr
Dresden State Orchestra performs Schumann
Tickets

Les Arts – Family-friendly: Ravel’s one-act opera L’Heure Espagnol
Program

Ongoing Exhibitions

Fundación Bancaja – New works from Lita Cabellut
Exhibition details

Centro del Carmen – Valencia en el Alma exhibit (until 29 June)
More info

Museo de Bellas Artes – Masaveu Collection (until 15 June)
Almudín Museum – Claudy Jongstra: wool landscapes (until 27 April)
Details

Art Galleries

Estudio 64 – New works by Jorge González, including New Yorker illustrations
Exhibit info

Stay With Me (Tue–Fri) – Works by Anaja Hvastija Gaia, Gema Quiles, & Katia Lifshin (until 30 April)

Valencia News: Wind warnings, neighborhood noise battles, a major arrest, and the start of jellyfish season

Good morning! Here is your news update for Thursday, 17 April. Semana Santa Marinera processions will be happening this weekend. Learn more about the city’s unique Easter traditions in this feature: Semana Santa Marinera: Valencia’s Unique Maritime Holy Week

Weather Alert

The national weather agency Aemet has issued a warning for strong winds up to 80 km/h and an increased risk of forest fires in the coming days.
Las Provincias: Alert for strong winds and fire risk

Politics in Valencia

The investigation into last October’s devastating flood continues. A court has ruled that the inquiry will focus exclusively on the Valencian government’s responsibility, not the national administration.
New revelations have emerged around a flurry of calls made by former Interior Minister Salomé Pradas, including a critical call from Generalitat President Carlos Mazón on the day of the disaster.

Meanwhile, Pilar Bernabé has announced her candidacy for mayor in 2027 as the Socialist Party’s nominee.
El Español: Socialists position Bernabé for a comeback

Flood Recovery

In response to the deadly floods, Mayor María José Catalá has ordered a new flood prevention plan for the city.
Levante: New South Plan in the works

Red Cross volunteers continue to clean the Albufera rice-growing lagoon by hand to trawl for trash and debris left by the flood.
Levante: Cleaning the Albufera by hand

Housing and Urban Development

Valencia City Council must return €469,000 in state housing aid after failing to justify expenses meant to support vulnerable groups.
Valencia Plaza: City loses emergency housing funds

In Cabanyal, residents are grappling with a double crisis: rising gentrification and an uptick in illegal home occupations.
Levante: Occupations and gentrification in Cabanyal

In Ruzafa, neighbors are preparing a legal complaint against motorcycle noise and all-night parties that have disrupted weekends.
Las Provincias: Ruzafa vs. noise pollution

Renovations at the historic El Grao Market will include new dining terraces and a stage for live performances.
Levante: El Grao to be transformed

A new housing plan for Campanar and Beniferri will see more low-build homes rather than apartment blocks in a rethinking of urban space.
Las Provincis: Beniferri reduces building heights

Crime and Corruption

A man known as the “Front Door Rapist” has been arrested after a string of assaults on women.
Las Provincias: How police caught the suspect

Authorities are moving to dismantle the Faitanar shantytown, which came to light during the floods. The action follows investigations into the conditions of six minors living at the site.
Levante: Legal and social pressure mounts on Faitanar

Climate and Environment

Business leaders in Valencia are urging the government to extend operations of the Cofrentes nuclear power plant beyond its scheduled closure in 2030, citing risks to the region’s energy supply.
Valencia Plaza: Cofrentes debate continues

The mystery of swan deaths in Jardines de Viveros has been solved. According to veterinarians, one swan died of grief after losing its mate.
Las Provincias: The swan that died of sorrow

A Netflix show featuring a bird-watching detective has prompted interest in Valencia’s rich bird-watching areas.
Las Provincias: Bird-watchers flock to see Valencia’s 300+ bird species

Dead jellyfish have started to wash up on Malvarrosa beach, signaling the start of the jellyfish season.
Levante: Jellyfish arrive at Valencia beaches

Semana Santa

Valencia’s Semana Santa Marinera stands apart from other Holy Week celebrations in Spain, with maritime traditions and processions that enter private homes.
Las Provincias: The fervor of Semana Santa Marinera

In Torrevieja, an English-speaking brotherhood has been participating in Holy Week processions for nearly 20 years.
A Punt: The English Brotherhood in Torrevieja