The city of Figueres now has new representatives for its pubillatge tradition. As part of the Sant Pere festivities, this Saturday saw the election and proclamation ceremony for the young people who will represent this Catalan popular tradition for the coming year. Jana Illa has been proclaimed the city's new pubilla, while Oriol Mención is the new hereu.
The pubillatge succession has also defined the remaining positions for the upcoming term. Ingrid Medinilla has been chosen as lady-in-waiting; Pere Alemany, as fadrí; Laia Vicens, as junior pubilleta; Roger Mayné, as junior hereuet, and Berta Pujolar and Emily Salazar, as junior dametes. These young individuals will take over from the outgoing representatives and participate in the city's institutional, popular, and festive events throughout the year.
The proclamation ceremony, held on La Rambla as part of the Sant Pere festival program, also served to bid farewell to the previous year's pubillatge, led by Marina Xaudiera (pubilla), Katherine Martínez (dama), Cèlia Carrion (pubilleta), and Arnau Torres (hereuet). The event was attended by pubilles and hereus from other municipalities, who accompanied the Figueres delegation in one of the highlights of the local festive calendar.
The celebration was organized by the Pubillatge section of the Casino Menestral Figuerenc, with the collaboration of the Popular Culture area of the Ajuntament de Figueres and the Esbart Nova Dansa, in a joint effort to preserve a tradition deeply rooted in Catalan popular culture.
The election of the pubilla and hereu concluded an afternoon dedicated to popular culture in the center of Figueres. Before the proclamation, a parade featuring giants and the pubillatge took place, with a giant display and gathering on Ample street. The festive program also hosted the Annual Meeting of Veteran Esbarts on La Rambla, with performances by the Esbart Sant Jordi de Badalona and the Esbart Nova Dansa de Figueres, joined by the Esbart de la Societat Coral Erato as guests. The day concluded with a Zumba Chic performance.
