Barcelona Three Kings of Orient Parade

Magic and surprise will be with the procession from start to finish. Melchior, Gaspar and Balthasar are getting new floats and outfits for their visit to Barcelona.

Three King's Parade

The new floats will include the “bed-time” float, the Carrossa de L’Hora d’anar a dormir, which will tell children they need to go to bed early. There will also be a brand new float with African musicians and others with toys.

As they do every year Melchior, Gaspar and Baltasar are coming to Barcelona by sea. They will arrive on board the Schooner Santa Eulàlia, though they will have also covered some distance beforehand on board an Imoca yacht, like the ones competing in the Barcelona World Race.

At 5 pm on Wednesday 5 January, Their Majesties are expected to reach the Moll de la Fusta wharf, where they will be received by the Mayor of Barcelona, Jordi Hereu, who will hand them bread and salt, as a symbol of welcome and hospitality, as well as the key to the city that opens all the city’s gates.

The Kings will set off on their tour of the city at 6.30 pm, from Avinguda del Marquès de l’Argentera, making for the Montjuïc Fountain, on Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina, where they will arrive at around 9.20 pm.

Their Majesties will go up Via Laietana (around 7.15 pm), Plaça d’Urquinaona and Carrer de Fontanella (7.35 pm), Plaça de Catalunya and Carrer Pelai (7.45 pm), Plaça de la Universitat and Ronda de Sant Antoni (8.05 pm), Carrer de Sepúlveda (8.30 pm) and Avinguda de Paral·lel (9.00 pm).

Parade Map

More than 1,200 people will make the procession possible , among them artists, theatre and dance-school students, volunteers and city residents.

Barcelona awaits the Three Kings of the Orient Parade

Barcelona Three Kings Parade

The arrival of Their Royal Majesties, the Three Kings of the Orient will be arriving in Barcelona thomorrow Tuesday, 5th of January, with various street theatre groups and choreographers helping to create a great big moving spectacular that will pass through the city’s streets for nearly three hours.

With over 1.200 participants and almost one kilometre of floats, the Kings’ Parade will start off this year around 5 pm when the Kings arrive on the schooner Santa Eulàlia and the Mayor, Jordi Hereu, gives them the key to open all the doors of the city so they can leave presents for everyone who’s been well-behaved this year.

This is the biggest street show ever held in Barcelona so, as a novelty this year, each King wanted to include a street theatre company with its own choreography on his float, making this five-kilometre procession a veritable moving stage

What’s more, the 2010 Kings’ Parade will have six newly created floats, three brand new mobile elements and more pages collecting dummies because the youngest onlookers will have to hand over their dummies if they want sweets.

This year’s Three Kings’ Parade, which will be setting off from Avinguda del Marquès de l’Argentera, next to Ciutadella Park, at 6.30 pm, has opted more than ever for artistic creation in the city, with the participation of professional companies, scenographers and choreographers who will be recreating the native lands of the Three Kings during the parade.

It will be broadcast live on Barcelona Televisió and go on to Via Laietana (7 pm), then Plaça Urquinaona and Carrer Fontanella (7.20 pm), to reach Plaça de Catalunya and Carrer Pelai at around 7.30 pm.

It will then continue on along Plaça Universitat and Ronda de Sant Antoni (7.45 pm), Carrer de Sepúlveda (8.00 pm), Carrer de Vilamarí and Carrer de Lleida until it reaches Avinguda de Rius i Taulet, which is expected at around 9.00 pm.

Map - 2010 Kings' Parade

Source: www.bcn.es