'Fadrins' and residents of l'Horta brave the rain to celebrate the big day of the Festa del Roser

La Huerta neighbourhood in Benidorm celebrated the main days of the traditional Festes del Roser, the singles' festival, this weekend, with two days marked by the intermittent downpours that have continued unabated in the city, forcing the 'fadrins' of 2025 to resort to backup plans. However, this circumstance barely dampened the events organised by the committee chaired by Pere Buigues, nor the desire to have a good time.

Precisely because of the rain, the Trinquet Vicente Pérez Devesa hosted one of the central events of the festival yesterday, the Flower Offering in honour of the Mare de Déu del Roser, which was initially planned for the Plaza de la Ermita but had to be held indoors. The municipal council, led by Mayor Toni Pérez and the Councilor for Festivals, Mariló Cebreros; the regional deputy José Ramon González de Zárate; The parish priest of the Hermitage, Efraín Alfonso Zapata; the queens of the Festes Majors Patronals, Paula Pascual Sánchez and Aitana Pérez Gutiérrez, along with their ladies-in-waiting; representatives of the Festivities Commission and the Association of Penyes Verge del Sofratge; residents of l'Horta; and representatives of the Hermitage's various festival committees, such as the Three Kings' Parade, Sant Isidre, and Sant Antoni, supported the young Roser festival-goers in this heartfelt event. This event was presided over by an image of the Virgin of the Rosary alongside the image of the Virgin of Suffrage, patron saint of Benidorm, which had remained in the chapel of the bullring and which, from now on, at least according to the wishes expressed by many residents, will be placed in the Hermitage of Sanç.

The mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, elected by this year's commission to announce the Festa del Roser and a resident of the Ermita neighbourhood, gave a moving opening speech, paying tribute to his ancestors and those of dozens of Benidorm families, for whom life in the Huerta meant everything. "From our ancestors, in addition to this wonderful enclave, the family home, a piece of orchard, or a piece of dry land, we have inherited our most valuable heritage," the mayor explained, before drawing attention to the need to keep the flame alive: "Those hardworking people, more or less humble, but all clear-eyed, have left us a wealth of experiences, customs, and advice, and above all, a way of being and understanding life. The principles and values ​​that shape our personality and identity, as individuals and as a people. And along with all of this, a vital legacy that has been passed down from generation to generation and that we have an obligation to preserve."

Toni Pérez recalled how the doors of his house in La Huerta were always open; the ravines, paths, and terraces filled with almond and olive trees; the care of the fields and animals, once done by hand and now mechanized; and how for children then and now, "going to La Huerta and setting foot in the neighborhood was like visiting a huge adventure park." "And I won't tell you anything about the Fiestas, in those days of greased poles, rockets, games of pilota, and various pranks," always in the company of friends. He also elevated the irrigation works to an art form. He drew attention to how, until very recently, La Huerta was not limited to the neighbourhood that currently bears its name, but also encompassed Foietes, Salt de l'Aiguá, Els Tolls, El Saladar, and Rincón de Loix, because "there are many of us Benidorm residents today, young and old, who are reborn from the Huerta de Benidorm."

Toni Pérez concluded his opening speech by inviting residents and locals to enjoy the festival and asking for the protection of Our Lady of El Roser.

After the official opening speech, the president of El Roser Festival, Pere Buigues, also spoke emotionally to the audience, thanking them for all the support they have received this year in making the festival possible. He expressed his gratitude especially to all the young people who participated in the committee, as well as to their parents, acknowledging that "without them, none of this would have been possible."
At the end of this ceremony, the queens of the Festes Majors Patronals and many of their ladies dedicated their "copletes" to Our Lady of El Roser, after which they danced the traditional Ball del Peuet inside the Trinquet. Finally, all attendees made a pilgrimage to the Plaza de la Ermita, where the "Estampeta" and a fireworks display were set off to round off the official event.

The festivities then continued into the evening with a picnic and DJ music.

This Sunday, at 10:30 a.m., a solemn mass was celebrated, after which the names of the "fadrines" (fadrines) who will form the 2026 Roser Festival committee were announced.