Alaquàs fires up its 50th paella contest on 29 August

Today's essentials (4 key points)

• The town of Alaquàs launches its 2026 Fiestas Mayores on Friday 28 August, with a milestone 50th paella contest taking place on Saturday 29 August from noon.
• Open-Meteo forecasts a warm, cloudy day in the city of Valencia, with lows around 25 degrees and highs near 33 degrees.
• The Generalitat Valenciana opens applications today, 24 August, for the Bono Alquiler Joven, a rent grant of up to 6,000 euros for tenants under 35, with a deadline of 11 September.
• The Soneja wildfire in Castellón province remains active after burning 150 hectares and forcing the evacuation of 500 residents, Libertad Digital reports.

Today's essentials

Alaquàs fires up its 50th paella contest on 29 August. Alaquàs opens its 2026 Fiestas Mayores on Friday 28 August, and the centrepiece is the 50th edition of its paella contest on Saturday 29 August from noon, according to Valencia Bonita.

The full programme runs all the way to 18 September, so this is a slow-burn celebration rather than a single weekend. Valencia Bonita reports that the anniversary paella contest anchors it all: registration opens on Tuesday 25 August at 10:00, places are limited, and the cooking itself starts at midday on Saturday 29 August with DJ Pau Lladró keeping the streets moving.

The action unfolds on Calles Lanjarón, Rector Antonio Sancho Bueno and Vicent Lis Barona, in the heart of Alaquàs. If you want to compete rather than just watch, mark that Tuesday 10:00 slot in your calendar, because spots go fast for a contest that has been running for half a century. Prizes are handed out on Monday 31 August at 21:00 inside the Castell d'Alaquàs, the town's 15th-century castle, which is also hosting an anniversary exhibition titled 50 anys fent festa.

There is plenty beyond the paellas. A medieval market fills the Plaza de la Constitución and Calles Clara Campoamor, San Juan de Ribera and Beato Gaspar Bono from 18:00 on Friday 28 August, staying open until 02:00 on Friday and Saturday. The Orquesta Panorama plays two late-night concerts at El Terç on 4 and 5 September from midnight, singer Gisela brings a children's show to the Parc de la Sequieta on 5 September, and the Moros y Cristianos parades roll out across several dates between 10 and 12 September. Look out too for the Cant de la Carxofa, a century-old rite in which a wooden artichoke is lowered from the church vault.

What this means for you: Alaquàs sits in l'Horta, a short hop from the city, so it is an easy evening or weekend escape from central Valencia's late-August heat. If you fancy cooking, get your name down at 10:00 on 25 August; if you just want the atmosphere, aim for the 29th around midday for the paellas or the 28th evening for the medieval market. To follow how the 50th contest plays out, the results and prize-giving land on 31 August, per Valencia Bonita.

Weather today

Warm and cloudy, highs near 33 degrees. Open-Meteo forecasts a muggy day across the Valencia area today, Monday 24 August, with the city sitting between 25 and 33 degrees under a mostly overcast sky and only a 13 percent chance of rain.

In the city of Valencia, expect that cloud cover to hang around with light breezes up to 17 km/h, so it will feel sticky rather than scorching. Stay hydrated and keep the shade in mind if you are out around the middle of the day.

Inland, Cofrentes dips cooler overnight at 20 degrees before climbing to the same 33-degree high, with gustier winds reaching 25 km/h. On the southern coast, Tavernes de la Valldigna sits between 24 and 33 degrees with a spot of light rain possible and a 10 percent chance overall, making an early beach start the comfortable option.

Transport & traffic

• 5.4 million euros to house 16 new Metrovalencia trams. Regional operator FGV will tender the 5.4 million euro renovation of the Naranjos depot so it can receive the 16 new Stadler series 4,500 trams destined for Metrovalencia, according to Valencia Extra and Valencia News. The refit matters because the new trams are set to arrive at a pace of roughly one per month, and they need somewhere to be stored, serviced and maintained before they enter passenger service. For anyone who relies on Metrovalencia's tram lines, this is the groundwork behind a gradual fleet renewal that should eventually mean newer, more reliable carriages on the network.
• Fatal crash on the CV-35 near Paterna. One person died in a traffic accident around midnight on Friday on the CV-35 road, at the level of the Paterna municipal boundary, Hortanoticias reports. The CV-35 is one of the main arteries linking the city with the north-western suburbs and l'Horta, so incidents there can ripple into commutes for a wide stretch of the metropolitan area. If you use that corridor regularly, allow extra time and expect occasional overnight disruption while emergency services attend such events.

What's changing for you

• Bono Alquiler Joven opens today: up to 6,000 euros. The Bono Alquiler Joven 2026, a rent grant of up to 6,000 euros for renters under 35, opens for applications today, 24 August, and closes on 11 September, according to Valencia Extra. If you are under 35 and renting, this is the window to act: the application period is short, running only until 11 September, so gather your paperwork now rather than leaving it to the final week. Check your eligibility and get your submission in early, because grants like this often run to a fixed budget.
• Youth rent grant: paid per person, not per household. The Generalitat Valenciana's youth rent grant is awarded per beneficiary rather than per household, so flatmates who each meet the criteria can apply individually on their own share of a shared rental, Valencia Bonita explains. Have your rental contract, ID and proof of residence in the Comunitat Valenciana ready before you start, and follow the official steps closely, because files are often rejected on a technicality such as a missing signature or an out-of-date document. Submitting early in the window also helps, since the aid is tied to your tenancy in the region and processed in order.

Local news to know

• Soneja wildfire still burning in Castellón. The Soneja fire in Castellón province remains active after scorching 150 hectares and forcing 500 residents to evacuate, with more than 220 ground crew and drones battling the blaze, according to Libertad Digital.
• The Dénia fire's undocumented hero, one year on. Gorgui Lamine, the Senegalese man who climbed a burning building in Dénia to save a man with a disability, was granted residency months later, elDiario.es reports, and in 2024 he also survived the dana that devastated the La Torre neighbourhood where he now lives.
• Rototom Sunsplash closes on 169,000 visitors. The Rototom Sunsplash in Benicàssim wrapped up its self-styled greenest and most human edition with an attendance of 169,000 people, elDiario.es reports, after adapting the festival to the heat with shaded refuges and revised timings.
• A 39-degree night after a 45-degree day. An extreme poniente episode on Wednesday 19 August pushed daytime temperatures to 45 degrees and left overnight lows near 39 degrees in València, making sleep nearly impossible in several municipalities, according to Noticias CV.

Things to do today

• Open-air cinema to see out August. València closes out August with late-night outdoor film screenings from the Filmoteca d'Estiu and the CCCCinema, held at the Jardines del Palau de la Música and the Centre del Carme Cultura Contemporània, according to Hortanoticias. It is a low-key, affordable way to spend a warm evening: pack something to sit on, arrive before dusk, and enjoy a film under the stars in the final stretch of summer.