The capital of Plana Baixa has begun the setup of the traditional May Crosses, which this year are officially celebrated on May 15, 16, and 17. A total of 38 ephemeral gardens, including large and child monuments, are now adorning the urban streets. This edition consolidates the festival with its declaration as a Festival of Regional Tourist Interest.
Operational preparations began on Tuesday, May 12, with the first traffic diversions. Today, an institutional visit took place, led by the mayor of Burriana, Jorge Monferrer, accompanied by the Councilor for Fallas, Paloma Boix, the Fallas Queens 2026, Laura Sendra and Ana Olivas, and other members of the municipal corporation, to witness the traditional cross setup.
As a main novelty, the City Council has increased the budget allocated to the May Crosses awards with a credit modification of 3,000 euros. For the first time, direct monetary prizes will be awarded: 450 euros for the best large cross and 250 euros for the best child's cross. Additionally, prize money for the large categories has been increased by 1,300 euros and for the child categories by 1,000 euros, thus recognizing the falleros' artisanal work.
For the third consecutive year, the celebration has been moved to the third weekend of May to avoid the increased cost of flowers during the Mother's Day season. This allows the 19 fallas commissions to use higher quality carnations without exceeding their budgets. Regarding security, the monuments maintain the locations from the past Fallas 2026, following the emergency plan coordinated with the Local Police.
“"The May Crosses are a unique artistic manifestation that unites the effort of the commissions, the fallas tradition, and our local identity through the carnation. This celebration is a visual spectacle that already transcends our borders and makes Burriana a benchmark for floral art and Valencian popular culture. With the creation of these new monetary prizes, we want to tangibly recognize the immense effort and dedication of the commissions."
