The Mascletà: A Most Valencian Invention

Who loves fireworks? The color, the sound, the visual spectacle? Of course, we all do. It’s universal! Now, who still loves fireworks minus the color and the visual spectacle, leaving basically only the sound? Hmmm, not very many of you have kept your hands up… just a bunch of maniacs wearing blue and white handkerchiefs. Oh, let me guess: you’re the Valencians.

The mascletà is a major part of Fallas, scheduled to rattle the buildings for five minutes every day in the town square. But it’s als...