It is a traditional ceremony to welcome the beginning of spring , so it seems only appropriate that these Spanish women and girls wear floral dresses for the occasion . The ladies of the city of Valencia dress up in their finest outfits and cover their hair to honour the Virgin Mary as part of the five-day celebration . The event , showcasing the beautifully-dressed 'Falleras ' , forms part of the Fallas festival - a five day and night continues party and celebration held in commemoration of Saint Joseph in Valencia . 'Falleras ' prepare to present flowers to the Virgin Mary . Offering Of The Flowers parade in the Spanish city of Valencia . Children are encouraged to wear traditional Spanish dress and come together to offer flowers to the Virgin Mary . Locals parade from their respective districts to the Plaza de la Virgin in order to make an offering of flowers to Our Lady of the Forsaken , the Patron Saint of Valencia . An emotional 'Fallera ' prepares to present flowers to the Virgin Mary . Offering Of The Flowers parade . Locals parade from their respective districts to the Plaza de la Virgin in order to make an offering of flowers to Our Lady of the Forsaken , the Patron Saint of Valencia . With all of the bunches of flowers given by the falleras to the Virgin , an impressive 15 metre-high tapestry is formed on the main façade of the Basilica and a mantle is made for the Virgin . The timing of the events is fixed and they fall on the same date every year , though there has been discussion about holding some events on the weekend preceding the Falles , to take greater advantage of the tourist potential of the festival or changing the end date in years where it is due to occur in midweek . Women , or Fallera as they are called , dress in traditional costume bring flowers to decorate a giant wooden figure of the Virgin Mary . The Offering of the Flowers forms part of the five day and night celebration held in commemoration of Saint Joseph . With all of the bunches of flowers given by the falleras to the Virgin , an impressive 15 metre-high tapestry is formed on the main façade of the Basilica . Fireworks , singing , dancing and music-playing are a constant theme of the celebration . The locals say that everything that is bad is burnt , and reborn fresh for spring . Each neighbourhood of the city is required to produce a 'falla ' - a wooden sculpture that is eventually burnt . There are different speculations regarding the origin of the Falles festival . One suggests that the Falles started in the Middle Ages , when artisans disposed of the broken artifacts and pieces of wood they saved during the winter by burning them to celebrate the spring equinox . Valencian carpenters used planks of wood called parots to hang their candles on during the winter , as these were needed to provide light to work by . With the coming of the spring , they were no longer necessary , so they were burned . Over time , and with the intervention of the Church , the date of the burning of these parots was made to coincide with the celebration of the festival of Saint Joseph , the patron saint of carpenters . The timing of the events is fixed and they fall on the same date every year , though there has been discussion about holding some events on the weekend preceding the Falles , to take greater advantage of the tourist potential . The five-day celebration is full of joy , fireworks and singing , although the Offering of the Flowers is a more sombre occasion . An emotional 'Fallera ' prepares to present flowers to the Virgin Mary at the Offering Of The Flowers parade . The devotees are dressed in traditional costume bring flowers to decorate a giant wooden figure of the Virgin Mary in the Basilica . The Fallas festival is one of the most important celebrations of the year for the citizens of Valencia . The beautiful floral displays are an offering to Our Lady of the Forsaken , the Patron Saint of Valencia .
The special ceremony is part of the five-day celebration locals take part in to welcome in the spring season . Locals parade to the Plaza de la Virgin in order to make an offering of flowers to Our Lady of the Forsaken . A 15 metre-high tapestry is formed on the main façade of the Basilica and a mantle is made for the Virgin .