Toni Pérez highlighted that the poster “represents the essence of the festivities” and advocated “opening our arms to enjoy culture”
Benidorm celebrates its patron's day and presents the poster announcing the Festes Majors Patronals 2024, a work by the designer Miquel Benítez
After the mass officiated by the parish priest of Sant Jaume, the queens and their court of honour danced the traditional ‘peuet’ dance
Yesterday, as it does every 25th of July, Benidorm celebrated its patron saint, Sant Jaume Apòstol, with a complete programme of events that included the presentation of the poster announcing the next Festes Majors Patronals in 2024, the work of the local designer and journalist Miquel Benítez. At around 7.30 pm, the mayor, Toni Pérez, and the Queens Mayor and Infantil of les Festes, Valentina Almodóbar and Laia Zamora, unveiled the poster, which will be displayed on the façade of the El Torrejó municipal centre throughout the year and which contains all the symbolism of the festival around what happened on 16th March 1740, when the patron saint, the Mare de Déu del Sofratge, arrived in Benidorm.
The day began at midday with the general ringing of bells and the launching of an aerial bombardment at Plaza de la Senyoría, where the Councillor for Fiestas, Mariló Cebreros, the queens and members of the fiesta commission, and mayor Toni Pérez arrived in a procession.
In the afternoon, the events began at 18:30 with another procession that left from the Casa del Fester towards the headquarters of the ACR La Barqueta, where the mayors of the Comissió de Festes, with its president María Dolores Cano at the head, collected the image of Sant Jaume to take it in a procession through the centre of the city, passing through Ruzafa Street, Martínez Alejos and Paseo de Levante until reaching Plaza del Torrejó.
At 19:30, the procession stopped to unveil the poster announcing the Festes Majors Patronals, which are celebrated from 9 to 13 November.
This image, made by Miquel Benítez, will also be the one that the Commission will use as the cover of the Official Magazine of the 2024 festivities.
The author of the poster defined Benidorm as “a society that embraces anyone who comes to make them feel like another Benidorm resident” and wanted to thank the Commission of 2024 and the festive community “for the work and effort they put in to ensure that Benidorm has unique festivities”. Regarding the poster, he pointed out that “it tries to be a summary of what I have breathed since I arrived in this town”.
Benítez's work reflects all the most recognisable details of the main festivities.
At its base, the Hallazgo de la Mare de Dèu is represented, which is performed every Saturday of festivities on Poniente beach. In the centre, a night photograph of the city and next to it the image of Sant Jaume. The predominant image, however, is that of the Verge del Sofratge, the patroness saint, at the top.
During his speech, Miquel Benítez recalled a phrase from Raimon, referring to the fact that “those who lose their origins, lose their identity”. He also thanked “the people of Benidorm” for their efforts to “keep the festival alive” and for “allowing me to be from Benidorm”.
The event was closed by Mayor Toni Pérez, who praised the poster and its author, who said “speaks as well as he designs”. Pérez stressed the “welcoming” and “hospitable” character of the city and advocated “opening our arms to embrace and enjoy the wealth and culture”. A poster, said the mayor, that “represents the essence of the festival”. Pérez also wanted to remember Vicent Andrés Estellés, whose centenary of birth is being celebrated and who won a poetry prize in Benidorm with a poem dedicated to Santiago, the patron saint of Spain. “From today there are 108 days left until the second Sunday in November. Happy Sant Jaume day” concluded Pérez.
At 8.30 pm in the church of Sant Jaume and Santa Anna, the parish priest Juan Antonio González officiated a solemn mass, at the end of which the Standard Bearer of 2024, Vicente Fuster, placed a bow tie on the banner of the Commission and received the badge of the city from the Mayor of Benidorm.
After the Eucharist, at Plaza de Sant Jaume, the traditional ‘Estampeta’ was lit in honour of the patron saint, which gave way to the traditional ‘ball del Peuet’ by the queens of the Festes Majors Patronals and their court of honour. Finally, the Turís pyrotechnics company set off a fireworks display. The events ended with a popular festival at Plaza de Castelar, in El Castell, organised by the members of the Comissió de Festes, who opened a bar to the public with food and drink at popular prices to raise funds. The music of a DJ enlivened the event.
