Valencia’s July Fair is one of the most important festivities in the city after Las Fallas. With the start dates approaching, at LOCK & enjoy! we will explain the official programme for this year.
Is your train or plane leaving in the afternoon or evening and you have nowhere to leave your luggage? In Valencia, we have two locker facilities, one near the Valencia Town Hall and another in the famous Ruzafa neighbourhood.
What is Valencia’s July Fair?
It is the most important event of the summer, originating in 1871 when the city was experiencing economic and industrial growth.
Local authorities came up with the idea of offering a series of cultural and festive activities to boost trade and attract tourism. The main reason was that the city would depopulate in summer and retaining the population for a few more days became necessary to ensure local commerce.
Valencia’s July Fair 2024 Programme
The Gran Fira de Juliol begins its activities on the 1st of July and ends on the 28th of the same month. This year’s official programme features over 200 activities, most of which are free and open to the public.
Keep in mind that this celebration is not in one specific area, as activities take place in numerous neighbourhoods and hamlets of the city. If you have any doubts, check the schedules of Valencia’s urban buses and metro on the website.
Fireworks
Firework displays are a must in Valencia. For a month and in various locations, there are fireworks to commemorate this event. The firework displays are launched every Saturday of the month at midnight by the best pyrotechnic companies in the city. Here’s the schedule:
- July 1st (opening): Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
- July 6th: Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
- July 13th: Monteolivete Bridge.
- July 20th: La Marina.
- July 27th: Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
At LOCK & enjoy! we recommend that you arrive early to choose a good spot, as it is likely to be crowded which could hinder your view of the fireworks.
Jazz Festival
This festival lasts a week and is also held in various neighbourhoods of the city. There are a total of 8 free concerts for you to enjoy this magnificent musical genre:
- July 20th: Martina Sabariego (Plaza de Campanar).
- July 21st: Paco Soler (Plaza del Santísimo Cristo de Nazaret).
- July 27th: Eduard Marquina (Parc Central).
- July 28th: Julia Sapiña (Parc de Benicalap).
Visit the website to see the full programme in case you are interested in any of the paid artists.
Viveros Concerts
This is one of the few paid activities at Valencia’s July Fair. It consists of a series of concerts held in Jardins de Vivers where nationally renowned artists perform.
From the 2nd to the 23rd of July (inclusive) there are concerts. Among the artists we can highlight Sergio Dalma, Niña Pastori, Pablo López, Julieta Venegas, and Taburete, to name just a few.
It is one of the most attended events, so we recommend purchasing your tickets as soon as possible.
Funfair
The funfair was already inaugurated on the 22nd of June, however, it is an essential element of Valencia’s July Fair, as it also attracts numerous tourists visiting the city. Keep in mind that the last day to enjoy its attractions is the 4th of August. It is in the old riverbed of the River Turia.
This fair is open from Sunday to Thursday from 18:30 to 01:00 hours, however, on Fridays and Saturdays, it extends a bit longer, until 2:00 AM.
It is an ideal place for family outings or with young children. The fair features tombolas, food stalls, fairground booths, and the usual attractions.
Battle of the Flowers
This event takes place on the last day of the fair and also attracts numerous tourists. It is held on the famous Paseo de la Alameda and starts at 20:00 hours on the 28th of July.
It consists of a parade of floral floats where participants throw carnations at the public and vice versa. The floats include girls and women representing the fallero sectors, as well as the official queens of the festivities of Alicante and Castellón. The participants are equipped with tennis rackets to symbolically dodge the carnations thrown from the public. To conclude, once the floats have finished parading, thousands of people go out to Paseo de la Alameda to continue the fun by throwing flowers at each other.
Over a million carnations are used in this celebration full of music, light, and colour.
Other Activities
In practically all the central neighbourhoods, numerous outdoor activities take place, such as magic shows, children’s workshops, monologues, and storytelling. We recommend that you don’t have a fixed route and let yourself get lost in the streets to enjoy these small details that go unnoticed.
On the other hand, Valencia Town Hall has added a new feature to the official programme that is worth knowing. It is a free bus shuttle to the Albufera, which also includes a boat ride at the end of the visit. The journey is led by an environmental educator who provides information about the magnificent natural environment.
Enjoy Valencia’s July Fair! If you are visiting and need to leave your backpack, at LOCK & enjoy! we have lockers in Valencia with USB charging and 24-hour video surveillance. Book now!
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