Marzipan, Handkerchiefs and the 9th of October: A Newcomer's Guide

Every October, a small, slightly absurd thing happens in Valencia: people start giving each other fruit. Not real fruit. Marzipan fruit, shaped and dyed to look like oranges, bananas and little red peppers, wrapped up in a silk handkerchief and tied with a ribbon. This Friday, 9 October, is the day it all comes to a head.

If you're new here, it can look like a mystery. Why are pastry shop windows suddenly full of bright, handkerchief-wrapped parcels? Why is everyone you know asking if you've got plans for the 9th? Let us explain, because it's one of the loveliest ways to feel part of the city.

What is the mocadorà?

The 9th of October is the Día de la Comunitat Valenciana, the day commemorating King Jaume I entering the city in 1238. But it is also Sant Donís, the Valencian version of Valentine's Day. On this day, the tradition is to give a loved one a mocadorà: a collection of marzipan fruits and vegetables inside a silk scarf (a mocador).

The Patraix district even runs its own contest through the city council this year, rewarding the best mocadorà and the most eye-catching shop window among local bakeries. That tells you something about how seriously neighbourhoods take it.

The best part of the tradition is that it's about generosity, not romance alone.

Many Valencians give one to a partner, but plenty give them to friends, grandparents and the people they love having around. Nobody will judge you for buying one for your flatmate.

How to enjoy it as a newcomer

You don't need a Valencian family to take part. A few easy ways in:

• Walk into a traditional pastelería in your neighbourhood and ask for a mocadorà. Pastry-shop owners love explaining the fruits.
• Buy two, one to keep and one to give to a new friend, a neighbour, or the person from your language exchange.
• Go out on the 9th itself. The day is a public holiday, and the city is full of processions, flags and people in no hurry.
• Try the marzipan before you judge it. It's sweet, almondy and surprisingly addictive.

The holiday that falls on a Friday

This year the 9th lands on a Friday, which means a long weekend for a lot of people. That's good news and a small risk. A long weekend is wonderful if you have someone to share it with, and a little quiet if you're still building your circle here.

We remember that feeling. When you're new, holidays are the days that remind you how many people you haven't met yet. Everyone else seems to disappear into family lunches, and the streets feel full of people who all know each other.

Here's the thing, though: Valencia is consistently ranked as one of the best cities in the world for expats, and the InterNations survey has put it at number one for several years running. The people who say they're happiest here tend to say the same thing about why: they found their people. Not through the sunshine, but through showing up.

A low-key plan

So here's a gentle suggestion. Don't wait for an invitation. Message that person you got on well with last month and say, "Fancy a walk and some marzipan on Friday?" Tell your flatmates you're buying a mocadorà and ask who wants to split one. Invite a coworker who mentioned they're also new.

It doesn't have to be an event. A few people on a bench, a handkerchief of marzipan fruit, and a day with no alarms is plenty. Those small, slightly silly shared moments are what turn a city you live in into a city that feels like yours.

Whatever you do this weekend, we hope you spend at least part of it with other people. Feliç 9 d'Octubre!