Calpe will celebrate on Sunday the festivity of the 9th of October, Day of the Valencian Community, with the institutional act of awarding the "Jaume Pastor i Fluixà" prize and the medals of the town with which every year the work of people or entities that with their activity have contributed to the improvement of society is recognised. This year the ceremony will be held in the Plaza Mayor at 8 p.m. and will be preceded by a parade of the Grup de Gegants i Cabuts de Benetússer from the Plaza Colón to the Plaza Mayor.
On this occasion the "Jaume Pastor i Fluixà, 9 d'octubre" award will be given to the Civil Guard of Calpe in recognition of their work in the municipality. On the other hand, the municipal plenary also agreed to distinguish several entities and personalities of the municipality in its different modalities.
The Citizen Merit Award was given to Andrés Ortolá Crespo, an outstanding member of the cultural, social and festive life of Calpe. He has been a member of the boards of Calpe C.F., of the de Moros y Cristianos Association, of the Manos Unidas NGO, of the Parish Council, promoter of the Calpe Easter Week, director of numerous plays and member for years of the Advisory Council of Decorations.
The award for sporting merit went to the Basque swimmer Iskander Sagarminaga Ateaga, who lives in Calpe. This swimmer has participated in some of the greatest challenges in long distance swimming, has crossed the English Channel, has participated in crossings such as the Battle of Rande, the Dragonera, Ultraebre, Triple Crown, and Ibiza Ultraswim.
The award for tourist merit also goes to Casa Pineda, one of the first tourist accommodation companies in the municipality, located on the promenade of the Arenal-Bol beach, which opened its doors in the 60s and continues to offer its services.
The Medal for Cultural Merit is awarded to Joaquin Roselló Jorro, promoter of the recovery of the cultural traditions of the municipality, founder of the Escola Calpina de Corda, for years he recovered, together with Pedro Jaime Tur, the popular songs typical of the rural areas of Calpe.
The Medal for Business Merit is awarded to La Jijonenca, this emblematic ice cream parlour started its activity in Calpe in 1960 being the first establishment of its kind. Throughout its history it has been located in different parts of the municipality and has become a meeting place for neighbours and tourists during the summer season. Today the new generations of the Castejón Serra family continue to run the business.
The Premi Jove this year goes to Pere Molines Tur, this young trombonist and composer from Calpe was formed in the Musical Union de Calpe, studied at the Conservatory of Music Oscar Esplá and has been part of various orchestras and musical groups of jazz or classical music. He is currently continuing his training at the Hochschule der Künste in Bern.
This year's Corbata de la Villa goes to Festers de la Mercè, a festive-cultural association born out of the 2013 Festivities Commission, which organises the Virgen de la Merced festivities every September. Thanks to this association, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary, the Merced festivities have regained an unprecedented dynamism.
These prizes will be awarded during the institutional ceremony commemorating the festivities of the Day of the Valencian Community, the main prize being named after the late historian Jaume Pastor i Fluixà from Calpe. The ceremony will begin with the reading of an institutional manifesto.