La Tomatina de Buñol 
38 km from Valencia lies the town of Buñol whose outrageous La Tomatina festival has been celebrated for over 60 years.  On the next to last Wednesday in August, the crowds gather in the town center waiting for truckloads of 100 tonnes of tomatoes to be unloaded and the signal to start one of the most colorful (and messy) food fights.  The celebration has gained more and more popularity in recent years especially with foreign participants. 

Tribunal de las Aguas
The Door of the Apostles at the cathedral is the site of this festival where the ancient system of justice is re-enacted.  King Jaime I is accredited for establishing this Tribunal de las Aguas (Water Tribunal) to regulate the distribution of the River Turia's water for irrigation whose system was designed and built by the Moors.  The judges are eight ordinary workers who each represent a different irrigation network. It's their job to sort out the inevitable problems and conflicts between users. They are elected for two year terms of office, wear traditional smocks and hand down their sentences orally in the Valencian language. There is no right of appeal. The speed of this particular justice system and its longevity have made it world-famous.

Falles (Las Fallas)
During the week leading up to March 19th, each neighborhood of Valencia and their organized groups of people prepare their  papier-mâché statues (ninot), some of which are as tall as buildings.  The statues are the indispensable part of the Falles which is an effigy-burning ritual whose origin dates back to the middle age.  The ceremony has long been incorporated into the Christian calendar dedicated to Sain Joseph and is one of Valencia's best known traditions.  The festival lasts for a week, during which each neighborhood comes alive with processions and street parties, echoed with the sound of firecrackers and alighted with pyres of burning effigies.

Las Carnestoltes
Beginning in February, Las Carnestoltes is Valencia's reference of the carnival season which is rooted in a pagan origin.  The festival is observed in some villages where the locals make straw figures of mock devils and hang them at varying height which will then be burned on Ash Wednesday.