Alicante has taken significant steps towards celebrating the centenary of the Hogueras festival with the visit of Lynda Martinelli, daughter of the first Bellea del Foc, Amparito Quereda Bernabéu, who held the title in 1932. On Thursday, she was received at the City Hall by Luis Barcala, president of the Centenary Foundation and mayor, alongside executive president Andrés Llorens, the councillor for Fiestas Cristina Cutanda, and David Olivares, president of the Federació de Fogueres, as well as the current Bellea del Foc 2026, María Pastor.
During her visit, Martinelli and her family toured the Salón de Alcaldes, the Salón Azul, and the Salón de Plenos, where her mother was elected Bellea del Foc on 5 June 1932. In the Salón Azul, they listened to a recording of Amparito Quereda, who passed away in 2002, made by Antena 3 Radio in 1984. In the recording, she fondly recalled her experiences during the Hogueras festival 94 years ago.
In gratitude for her visit, Lynda Martinelli donated to the Hogueras Museum the fan that her mother wore in 1932. The fan, signed by José Marced—one of the three creators of the 'Parada y fonda' bonfire, which won the first prize for Benalúa in the inaugural year of 1928—will be examined by technicians from the Culture Department, led by Nayma Beldjilali, before it becomes part of the museum's collection.
The historic fan features a hand-painted depiction of a couple in traditional attire on the left side, with the woman wearing a red handkerchief and flowers, and the man in a hat and blanket. On the right side, a bonfire can be seen burning, with the city of Alicante's coat of arms at the centre.
Mayor Barcala expressed his gratitude for the donation, stating, “If Alicante does not forget its first Bellea, this gift perpetuates the memory of someone who marked a milestone in the history of the festival and has become a reference point for those of us who value the Hogueras as one of our key identities.”
