Patrick Salvador to open the 2026 Begoña festival in Puerto de Sagunto
The Cofradía de Nuestra Señora de Begoña (religious brotherhood) chose the lawyer and university lecturer to deliver the speech that opens the celebrations on 1 August.
Puerto de Sagunto (coastal district) now knows who will step onto the balcony to kick off its patron saint festival: Patrick Salvador Peris, chosen by the Cofradía de Nuestra Señora de Begoña to deliver the 2026 pregón, the traditional opening speech. The event takes place on Saturday 1 August at 20:00 in the Begoña church, immediately followed by the 'tro d'avís i xopà' (a firework signal and communal meal), the moment that traditionally launches the two-week festival honouring the district's patron saint, which runs until 15 August. Over those two weeks, the usual programme returns: sports, concerts, art, fireworks and the greasy-pole contests over water that locals in Puerto de Sagunto love. Cofradía president Vicent López stressed that events like this keep the festival's original purpose alive and strengthen residents' sense of belonging. He holds a cum laude doctorate in Law, Political Science and Criminology from the University of Valencia, currently heads the Criminology degree at the International University of Valencia, and combines teaching with practising law and appearing as a crime analyst on television. According to El Periódico de Aquí, with additional background from Wikipedia on the Begoña festival.