The history of Las Fallas is adequately described here:

Legend has it that the history of Las Fallas begins with medieval carpenters. During the short, winter days they, among others, used planks of wood known as parots to support the candles that they were forced to burn in order to see well enough to work their trade in the gloom. When the days began to lengthen enough to make these candles obsolete, in joyful welcoming of the spring, these carpenters would burn the parots.

The full program is available at the official tourist information website.

Some of the highlights:
• daily Masclet√† (fireworks and fire crackers display) in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento at 2pm
• daily bullfights in the Plaza de Toros at 5pm
• Sunday, March 15, Plant√† of all the children‚Äôs fallas at 8am
• Sunday, March 15, Plant√† of all the fallas at midnight
• March 15-17 Firework display in the Paseo de la Alameda (Turia) at 1am
• Monday, March 16, Cabalgata Folkl√≥rica (Folklore Parade)
• Tuesday and Wednesday, March 17-18, Flower Offering to Virgen de los Desamparados, starting 4pm till about 11pm
• Wednesday, March 18, ‚ÄúNit de foc‚Äù (Night of Fire Fireworks Display) in the Paseo de la Alameda (Turia) at 2am
• Thursday, March 19, Solemn mass in honour of the Patriarch Saint Joseph in Valencia Cathedral presided by the Archbishop of Valencia, Agust√≠n Garc√≠a Gasco at noon
• Thursday, March 19, Crem√† (burning) of all the fallas in Valencia at 12pm
• Aerial firework display in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento and Crem√† (burning) of the Plaza Ayuntamiento Falla at 1am (night of Thursday on Friday)

If you are in Valencia during the Fallas 2009, we wish you a lot of fun!