The weekend before the Crida, February 17-18, a mascletà de València will be played in the Madrid capital. It has not yet been specified where, whether the Cibeles or Colón squares, but the commitment to such a central location confirms the intention of the Valencia City Council, promoter of the measure, to make as much noise as possible in Madrid. And also to attract as much tourism as possible to the festival that will just be in full swing a month later.
A delegation led by the councilor of Fallas, Santiago Ballester, traveled from Valencia this Tuesday to meet with officials and technicians from the Madrid town hall and design the firing of the mascletà in Madrid, since, they point out, it requires a different device than that of other fireworks shots that are only celebrated in the Valencian Community.
According to the Valencian council, the initiative arises from the first time that the mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, witnessed a mascletà in Valencia, last March, with the current mayor and then head of the opposition, María José Catalá. Then Martínez-Almeida suggested the option of celebrating a mascletà in his city, something that was reaffirmed on his next visit in March of this year.
In this regard, the mayor of Valencia has pointed out that “this is a way to make our Fallas even more international and to take an activity that is very much ours to another part of Spain.”
“Celebrating the mascletà in Madrid on February 17, a week before the Crida, will serve as a prelude so that the people of Madrid, if they like it, think that they will have 19 days in March to be able to enjoy a unique pyrotechnic show in Valencia,” he said. stated Catalá. “In addition, it will be a way to bring together all the Valencians who live in Madrid and for a few minutes to think that they are in our Plaza de L’Ajuntament; It will not be the same but it will be very similar,” the mayor pointed out.
On behalf of the Valencia City Council, representatives from the Local Police, Firefighters, Civil Protection, the City Council’s pyrotechnics coordinator, the pyrotechnics delegate from Junta Central Fallera, as well as staff from Pirotecnia Valenciana, the company in charge of assemble and shoot the mascletà.
During the meeting, both parties discussed the characteristics and needs of the shot, as well as the different security devices that are set up in the Plaza de L’Ajuntament in March and which brings together tens of thousands of people.
The event to be held in Madrid is expected to be attended by the major falleras of Valencia and their respective courts of honor, as well as the mayors of both cities. “We will fulfill what was promised and we will be able to enjoy an opportunity to further unite two cities that have many interests in common, both social, cultural and economic,” María José Catalá concluded.
