Vila-real has closed its patron saint festivities with the return of the Mare de Déu de Gràcia to the Termet hermitage. The procession ended the ten days during which the image of the Moreneta remained in the urban core and marked the final stretch of a program with more than 170 activities.
The image was taken at 5:00 PM from the parish church after the last day of the novena and the floral offering. The queen of the 2026 festivities, Berta Beteta, her ladies and numerous neighbors accompanied the patroness during the tour. Civil and religious representatives also participated, along with the mayor, José Benlloch, and the councilor for Fiestas, Miriam Caravaca.
During the journey, the carriers were giving up their positions so that members of the festive court and the municipal corporation could carry the image during some stretches. The arrival at Termet completed the reverse route to the one taken at the beginning of the festivities, when the patroness was transported to the city.
The farewell day included other proposals. In the morning, Termet hosted the Summer Splash within the children’s program. The musical closing featured the performance of Shaila Dúrcal, while the fireworks display and castle completed the last planned acts.
The return procession was also the most symbolic act of Sunday. Unlike the playful proposals of the morning and the later music, the procession brought together the religious component and the institutional representation in a shared tour with the neighbors. The participation of the queen and her ladies connected the closing with the rest of the holiday calendar.
The balance includes musical, gastronomic, religious, cultural and bullfighting activities. With the return of the Moreneta to its hermitage, Vila-real concludes the festive calendar of September and recovers normal activity after ten days of celebrations.