Beatriz Blanco and Julia Vizcayno began their round of official visits on Tuesday. Valencia's Falleras Mayores for 2027 were received at the Palau de la Generalitat by regional president Juanfran Pérez Llorca, their first formal engagement outside City Hall since the phone call of 13 October. In the afternoon the two representatives closed the day in the municipal chamber, where they presided over the Cruces de Mayo prize ceremony: 97 floral compositions spread across the city.

At the Generalitat they were joined by second vice-president and regional minister José Díez, by the councillor for Fallas and president of the Junta Central Fallera, Santiago Ballester, and by JCF general secretary Nico Garcés. The falleras signed the book of authorities and gave Pérez Llorca a Fallas-themed gift; they received a fan in return, a piece of Valencian craftwork.

The tour continues in the coming weeks at Les Corts Valencianes, the Diputació de València, the central government delegation —where Roger Llanes will receive them—, the Water Tribunal, the military institutions and the Archbishop of Valencia, Enrique Benavent.

The Cruces prizes

The City Hall ceremony came a week late: it had been scheduled for Wednesday 28 October and was called off during the three days of official mourning declared after the Urda train crash. It was chaired by the councillor for Fiestas y Tradiciones, Mónica Gil, alongside Lo Rat Penat president Josep Vicent Navarro Raga and the regina dels Jocs Florals, Inmaculada Traver.

The honours keep the names announced in May. The Junta de Festes Mare de Déu dels Desemparats de Patraix takes the Paco Domingo extraordinary prize in the Special Section, while Archiduque Carlos-Músico Gomis wins the Pere Delmonte award in the First Section. New this year was the Santo Cáliz de Valencia extraordinary prize, tied to the third Holy Chalice Jubilee Year, which went to Plaza Obispo Amigó-Cuenca.

Lo Rat Penat has run the contest with the city council since 1925 and it has become one of the calendar's rooted traditions: many of the crosses are planted by falla committees, and every entry that meets the rules receives a €200 participation grant.

With mourning lifted, the official party is back to its normal pace. On Wednesday it is theatre: Beatriz and her court will attend a Second Category Teatre Faller performance at Quart-Palomar, Paula Sebastián's committee.

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