Benidorm hosts the 31st Grape Harvest Festival and the proclamation of the first Dulcinea of ​​Casa La Mancha

The event was attended by a large institutional representation, led by the Mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, and the Councillor for Fiestas, Mariló Cebreros, along with other members of the municipal council.

Also in attendance were the President and Secretary of the Federation of Indigenous Communities of Castilla-La Mancha in the Valencian Community, Jesús Martínez Gabaldón and Jacinto Rodríguez, who accompanied the President of Casa de la Mancha in Benidorm and the region, Loren Torres, and the event's host and Mayor of Valdepeñas, Jesús Martín.

First, the association's banner and the ladies of the court of honour were presented on stage, and they were presented with the corresponding sashes. Afterwards, Elisa Choza was proclaimed the first Dulcinea of ​​the regional entity.

Next, Jesús Martín, who is repeating his role as host of the Benidorm Grape Harvest Festival, took the floor and praised the work and tenacity of his fellow countrymen, who have "the flavor of people who say good morning" and the value of their land, La Mancha, "so austere that it holds centuries of memory of men and women unjustly forgotten."

The host praised the role of Benidorm residents originally from La Mancha, who have managed to bring "the horizon of the Castilian-Manchegan land" to these latitudes and have replaced the "indigo of Valdepeñas" with the "blue of the sea" in Benidorm. Martín thanked them for keeping their roots alive and the names of the towns of this "universal territory" that is La Mancha.

Following Martín's remarks, the Magisterio Dance Group from Albacete performed a selection of pieces from Castilian-Manchegan folklore, and then Loren Torres thanked the invited authorities and organisations for their participation in the thirty-first edition of the Grape Harvest Festival. Finally, the mayor of Benidorm greeted and welcomed all attendees to the city.

Toni Pérez recalled that it was another mayor, Pedro Zaragoza, who "coined a name for all the people of La Mancha in the city: 'Benimanchegos.'" He recalled the late 1950s and 1980s, when Benidorm was the place where "anyone who arrived found their home here," and where it welcomed "with open arms" all those who wanted to build a new life here.

"In Benidorm," said the mayor, "there's room for everyone." A city that looks up to the sky and that, every day, we build together." Toni Pérez concluded his speech by encouraging the Casa de La Mancha to "always continue to represent the people of Benidorm" and proclaiming that "in this land, in Benidorm, no one is a stranger."
Following the mayor's remarks, the festive organisations that accompanied Casa de La Mancha on its big day paraded onto the stage.