Carmen Prades, Valencia's Fallera Mayor 2026, and Marta Mercader, the children's Fallera Mayor, said goodbye to the falleros at their farewell ceremony, held on Friday 23 October at La Ferradura. The gala brought together the two representatives with their courts of honour and the family of the "big home" of the Junta Central Fallera (JCF) in an emotional event that closed the cycle of a reign that began exactly one year ago.
Carmen Prades offered collective thanks on behalf of her twelve travelling companions: "A year ago thirteen voices came together to start writing a story. Today, those same thirteen voices come together again to say thank you." The Fallera Mayor also remembered the artists of the 2026 municipal falla, the 'Hope' by Alejandro and Josete Santaeulalia and Vicente Llácer, for opening the doors of their workshop: "not only are fallas built there, dreams are also created."
Marta Mercader, for her part, spoke of the "Infamily" formed by the thirteen families of the children's court: "We started out as thirteen families, but the Fallas brought us together and affection made us a family." She also had words for Carmen — "my little turtle" — before rounding off with the image that summed up her year: "That girl who dreamed looking at the Serranos Towers climbed them and could tell all of Valencia that the Fallas had begun. Then I understood that the real miracle was not getting there, but the people you share it with."
The Fallas councillor and president of the JCF, Santiago Ballester, reminded them that "positions come to an end, the sashes are put away and diaries return to normal, but the honour of having represented Valencia and the affection of a whole community will stay with you always." With the farewell over, the baton now passes to Beatriz Blanco and Julia Vizcayno, Valencia's Falleras Mayores for 2027, who are taking their first steps as the festival's top ambassadors.
Sources:
- Las Provincias, 24 Oct 2026 — Así se han despedido Carmen y Marta de los falleros