María Crespo Devesa and Abril Mestre Castillo were elected last Saturday as queens of the Calpe Fiestas 2023 in a ceremony attended by nearly 2000 people. The election was carried out by drawing lots, as last year's queens drew the names of the new queens from among the 18 year old candidates and the 8 year old candidates.
The gala, organised by the 2023 Festival Commission, was held in the Plaza Mayor. The ladies and girls were accompanied by children and young people from the 2015 and 2005 quintas who form part of the Festivities Commission and by the festeros and festeras of the 1985 quinta who complete the commission presided over by Aroa Pineda.
The 2022 Queens, Carmen Ryan and Sofía Sánchez, drew the balls containing the names of the 2023 Fiestas Queens, and the presenters, Joaquim Llinares and José Ángel Montaner, called out the names of each of the ladies who make up this year's court of honour. Excitement overflowed when the names of the new Queens of the Fiestas were announced.
After the election of the Queen, the President of the Fiestas Commission, the Councillor for Fiestas, Mariola Mulet and the Mayoress, Ana Sala, dedicated a few words to the new queens and to the Fiestas Commission in general who will organise this year's fiestas.
All the members of the Festivities Commission, made up of the 1985, 2005, and 2015 fifth queens, took part in the end of the gala which closed with the presence of all of them on stage and the setting off of a firework display. This Saturday's event is the preamble to the patron saint festivities in honour of the Mare de Déu de les Neus, which are held during the first fortnight of August.