The evening, which will take place from 10:00 PM at the Recinte Fester, will gather nearly a thousand attendees. The new queen will take over from Sara Benet Clausell and will be accompanied by her ladies-in-waiting: Beatriz Alcaide Ahís, Marta Curic Vega, Belén Zafrilla Piñero, and Diana Zafrilla Piñero.
The mayor of Almassora will participate in the event along with the master of ceremonies, film director Sergi González, who will dedicate a few words to the queen and her court of honor. The presentation will feature a staging focused on local traditions and the town's identity.
“"We have magnificent representatives who embody the festive spirit of our municipality. They symbolize the enthusiasm and commitment of an entire generation, of our young people with our signs of identity. To all of them, my most sincere congratulations and the wish that they live this experience intensely and unforgettably."
The sash imposition will be one of the most anticipated moments of the night, with the attendance of mayors, councilors, and queens from various municipalities in the province, as well as regional and provincial deputies and representatives of the municipal corporation. Local groups such as the Asociación Cultural El Torrelló, the Colla de Dolçainers i Tabals de Les Goles, and the Grupo Scout Tramuntana will also participate.
Music will close the evening with a performance by the municipal band Unión Instructivo Musical La Esmeralda, directed by maestro Víctor Alapont, along with tenor Javier Bovea. The Santa Quitèria 2026 patron saint festivities offer an official program of more than 150 events for all audiences, including music, tradition, children's activities, gastronomy, bullfighting events, and religious acts.
After tonight's presentation, the program will continue this Saturday with the Pregón (proclamation), scheduled for 5:00 PM. The route will follow the usual itinerary. As a novelty, the City Council will for the first time enable a sensory-friendly area in the initial section of the route, to ensure that all people can enjoy the parade in suitable conditions.
Sunday, May 10 will begin with the traditional bell ringing. At 8:30 AM, the church square of the Nativity will host the gathering of pilgrims and decorated vehicles. Proceeds from the sale of ribbons and scarves will be fully donated to the Spanish Association Against Cancer of Almassora. At 9:00 AM, the pilgrimage to the hermitage of Santa Quitèria will begin, presided over by the parish priest of the Church of the Nativity of Our Lady, Juan Ángel Tapiador Navas.
The procession will include the court of honor of the Mare de Déu del Roser and Santa Quitèria, the queen and her court of honor, the clergy, and municipal authorities. Near the hermitage, pilgrims will be offered traditional sweets and drinks. The day will include children's activities, mass at the hermitage at 12:00 PM, and a monumental paella at 2:00 PM. In the afternoon, at 6:00 PM, the return with the patron saint to the church of San José will take place, followed by a procession to the church of the Santísimo Cristo del Calvario with the lighting of traditional bonfires along the way.
