ALCALA, Pangasinan – A different kind of reunion will take place during the town fiesta here by the last week of April in honor of the patron saint, Holy Cross.
 

This is a once-in-a-lifetime reunion of all living fiesta queen of Alcala from pre-war to last year which would make the coming town fiesta queens of Alcala from pre-war last year which would make the coming town fiesta truly worth remembering.
 

Prency Quevedo, chair person of the committee in charge of this reunion, said she already contacted 20 former fiesta queens who signified their intention to attend the reunion to spark fond memories of yesteryears.
 

Of those contacted, two reigned fiesta queens of Alcala during the pre-war. They are Apolonia Espiritu in 1933 and Remedios in 1935.
 

All the fiesta beauties before Espiritu reign queen during her time already joined their Creator.
 

Interestingly, the only times that the town did not hold its fiesta were in 1942 and in 1973.
 

The reason for not holding fiesta in 1942 was because many of the town’s able-bodied men went to war and they were with the valiant United States Armed Forces in the Far East that made a last stand in Bataan and only forced to surrender to the Japanese invaders on April 9, 1942 by sheer exhaustion.
 

However, the fiesta resumed in 1943 and throughout the entire period of the Japanese occupation.
 

In 1973, the town’s elders decided not to hold fiesta because of the declaration of martial law the previous year.
 

Others joining the reunion are Purita Bacolor who was crowned fiesta queen in 1948; Aurora Quiambao, 1952; Aida Bacolor, 1958; Daisy Terrado, 1965; Letty Gasmen, 1966; Louella Dauz, 1967; Evangeline Espejo, 1972; Maritess Peregrino, 1980; Blesa Sumaling, 1981; Teofista Bisarra, 1991; Richealyn Tadeo, 1997; Marife Catubay, 1998; Carol Lorenzo, 2000; Niña Ricca Quevedo, 2001; Myrlene Rosquita, 2002; Ma. Luisa Ramos, 2003; Andromeda Manaois, 2004; and Vanessa Jane Versosa, 2005.
 

Alcala mayor Manuel Collado said the once-in-a-lifetime reunion of town fiesta queen was timed in during the Grand Homecoming of overseas Alcala residents.