Nadal 2023

The Three Kings Parade 2024

Practical information

Where:

various streets in the centre of Barcelona

Date:

5 January 2024

Tim:

from 6.00 pm

Disruptions to mobility The Three Kings technical assistants.
Result of the draws
Follow the parade live on Betevé

Barcelona will be full of magic to welcome Their Majesties and their entourage!

At 4.30 pm on 5 January, Their Majesties Melchior, Caspar and Balthasar will once again arrive at the Portal de la Pau on the Schooner Santa Eulàlia. There, they will be greeted by the giants of Barcelona, who are celebrating 600 years of history, and by the mayor, who will offer them bread and salt as symbols of hospitality and welcome and give them the keys to the city so they can enter all homes. 

From 6 pm, the Three Kings and their entourage will start the parade that will take Their Majesties along the same route as last year. The residents of Avinguda del Paral·lel and Ronda de Sant Pau will again enjoy the festivities.

The parade will begin when the Brincadeira company welcomes Their Majesties by leading the way for the entire procession with a display of lights and percussion.

The Page Estel and the revamped Estel [star] float will lead the royal procession, lighting the path for the Three Kings. They will be accompanied by a dance of stars: white stars, shooting stars, dwarf stars, intergalactic stars... and two grand luminous characters specially invited for the occasion, the Luminolife. All this will be set to new music from the Museum's Conservatory. 

Next will arrive the iconic Royal Mail float, and the royal pages will collect children's letters to the tune of one of the parade's most beautiful and beloved songs. The choreography will be directed by Irene Pallarès.

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The Page Gregory and the Dummies entourage will come next, along with sign language interpreter pages and a handful of dancers who will collect dummies from the smallest and bravest children to deliver them to Their Majesties.

King Melchior will be the first of all three to appear atop a float unveiled last year, accompanied by a group of dancers choreographed by the Dance Centre of Catalonia.

Next will appear the Toys float, full of colours and loaded with wishes for all the children in the city, choreographed by the Brodas Bros company.

King Caspar will follow next atop a new float inspired by the landscapes and other features of the king's magical origin. His entourage will also debut new costumes and fly new banners to the beat of the comparsa [troupe].

The Instructions for Dreaming float will also be present, transporting us on a journey through a universe full of the imagination of dreams and inviting little ones to sleep on the most magical night of the year. They will be choreographed by Som-hi Dansa.

King Balthasar, also on a new float, inspired by African landscapes, will appear shortly after, accompanied by the Tambedou family of large puppets. With live percussion from Zamble Miza and singer Tutti Mane, the comparsa will dance to choreography by Anna Mbengue

If you haven't been good... Coal! Coal! This year, the LaSADCUM company, choreographed by Guillem Jiménez, will bring the beat of the coal miners to the whole city, and the beloved mine float will once again dance to the children's favourite song.

Who wants sweets? As a grand finale, there will be no shortage of gifts, and the parade will leave a good taste in everyone's mouths with an eagerly anticipated explosion of sweets led by the characters of the Tibidabo Amusement Park.

The Parade is a production of the Institute of Culture of Barcelona.

Artistic file:

Artistic direction: Marta Almirall and Barbarana Pons / Design and scenography: José Menchero, Ramón de los Heros, Kimeric and Marc Salicrú / Lighting and effects: Àlex Posada and Andreu Fàbregas / Sound and technical direction: Àlex Faure / Music: Conservatori Liceu Foundation, José Manuel Pagan, Xavi Oró and Brodas Bros / Companies: Brincadeira, Som-hi Dansa, La SADCUM, Brodas Bros, Fre3 Bodies, Centre de Dansa de Catalunya, Anna Mbengue, and Familia Tambedou from Roseland Musical / Participating schools: Oriol Martorell School, Theater Institute-CPD, Memory School, Ramon Solé School, Núria Dansa School, Slam Dancing Barcelona School, La Fàbrica dels Somnis School, ARA-Alt Rendiment Artístic School, Ramon Llull School, Coco Comín, El Magatzem, El Timbal, Eòlia, Irene Pallarés, Elisenda Tarragó School / Participating entities: Voluntaris 2000, Los Ríos Cultural Association in Catalonia, Coordinator of Geganters of Barcelona, Federation of Entities of Popular and Traditional Culture of Barcelona Vella, Corre amb Mi, Kudyapi Choir, ECOP (Catalan Students of Pakistani Origin), Esbart Maragall / Artistic production: Neus Oriol and Marta Bou / Choreography and assistant directors: Carla Pérez, Núria Salas and Albert Bonet / Stage management: Eugeni Urreta / Costume design: Igone López, Sandra Navarro, Salvador Ferrer, Patrícia Pujol, Meritxell Bosch, Izaskun Martínez, Maite Grande, Maria Revuelta and Carolina López / Props and set dressing: Andreu Bresca / Logistics and transport: Francesc Solé / Artistic coordination: Verónica García / Community outreach: Yasmina Fuentes.

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2024 ROUTE

The royal parade will set off at 6.00 pm, following a route from Av Marquès de l’Argentera (at the junction with Pg Circumval•lació) to Montjuïc’s Magic Fountain, at the following expected times:

  • 6.00 pm: Av Marquès de l’Argentera
  • 6.15 pm: Pg Colom
  • 7.10 pm: Av Paral·lel
  • 7.30 pm: Rda Sant Pau
  • 7.45 pm: Sant Antoni Market
  • 8.30 pm: C/ Sepúlveda
  • 8.45 pm: Pl Espanya
  • 9.15 pm: Av Reina Maria Cristina

No limits on capacity are planned.

Some spaces will be reserved for people with disabilities or functional diversity, with accreditation.

Advice before the parade

  • Remember that this year, the parade will follow last year’s route; construction on Via Laietana will divert it to Av. Paral•lel, going up on Ronda de Sant Pau and Urgell to Sepúlveda.
  • Before you set off, check the official information broadcast by the authorities regarding the event and the route, as well as the weather forecast. Be sure to wear shoes that protect your feet effectively to avoid injury: feet are always vulnerable at mass events.
  • If the cold is intense, remember to wear a hat and use a scarf to avoid breathing the cold air directly into your lungs. In general terms it is also important to wear comfortable clothes that suit the weather conditions in order to avoid problems as the evening wears on.
  • Be aware of the location of emergency exits or evacuation routes, and follow any instructions from security staff.
  • Never push to gain access to a particular area, as you could cause one or more people to fall over: if the area is overcrowded or very crowded, look for somewhere else to stand.
  • If you wish to access the areas reserved for people with disabilities or functional diversity, please ensure you allow plenty of time to comfortably settle in, and do not forget to bring your accreditation card. Due to space limitations, those using wheelchairs may be accompanied by one or two people at most. The three designed areas are Palau Plan (seaside), the corner of Pl. Drassanes with Av. Paral·lel and Plaça d'Espanya (L3 - Paral•lel side). There will also be a reserved area at the Portal de la Pau for the arrival of Their Majesties.
  • If you go with someone else or in a group, agree on somewhere outside the area where there are people, a place you can meet if you get separated or lost.
  • If you are with children, hold their hand. Explain the risks, letting them know how they need to behave and what to do if they get lost.
  • Do not allow children to climb up onto any kind of object in order to get a better view: it’s best to carry them on your shoulders if necessary.
  • If you come across a child who is lost, take them to the police or a security team immediately.
  • Keep your ID on you. In the case of small children, the elderly, and people with intellectual disabilities who need the support of a third person, write their details, including a contact telephone number, on a card that they can wear in a visible place in case they get lost.
  • Always keep a close eye on elderly people and those with special needs. When you are in the streets that provide access to the event, do not stop in the middle of the road, because these are the access routes for the emergency services, and for evacuation should it be necessary.
  • If you start to feel trapped, or that there is no possible way out, look for an alternative spot where you can locate an evacuation route. Stay calm at all times.
  • Do not climb onto railings, fences, containers or other unstable structures, because they can be dangerous and may cause an accident.

Advice during the parade

  • Always follow any instructions given by security staff.
  • Remember that the main risks are when the floats are passing by and having an accident when climbing on objects, such as containers, traffic lights, signs, etc. Never do this.
  • Always act with common sense: do not put yourself at risk, and make sure that your children are not exposed to a situation where they are at risk of having an accident.
  • Make sure that you stay behind the barriers and safety signs when floats are passing by.
  • Do not speak to or distract security staff, the drivers, or those who are accompanying the floats on foot unless there is an emergency situation, or there has been an accident.
  • Do not get too close to the floats, and never try to climb onto them.
  • Never step into the road to pick up sweets that are left behind as the floats pass by, as you could be in danger from those that follow.
  • Do not walk between the floats, or approach them when they are stationary or are refuelling.
  • Do not throw sweets at security staff, those who are on the floats, or other people who are watching the parade.
  • When the event is over, leave the area in an orderly way, respecting the order of departure, and following the instructions of the security staff.
  • If you should observe any form of incident, inform the security staff immediately, and, if necessary, call 112.

Advice in the case of emergency

  • Stay calm and follow the instructions given by the emergency services.
  • Take extra care of children, and of people with disabilities.
  • Leave the area via the route indicated, or take the nearest streets, and do not stop.
  • Under no circumstances should you turn back.
  • Avoid shouting, running or pushing others, as you could cause dangerous situations given the large number of people present at the event.
  • Once you reach a safe place, if you are unable to find someone, let the emergency services know.
  • In the case of emergency, if you call 112 from a mobile phone and can get no signal, it may be that the lines are jammed: look for a land line to call from.

Practical information

Where:

various streets in the centre of Barcelona

Date:

5 January 2024

Tim:

from 6.00 pm

Disruptions to mobility The Three Kings technical assistants.
Result of the draws
Follow the parade live on Betevé

Grups de Destacats

The pages

Christmas songs

  • Estel’s song

    The star that shines from the sky and lights the way for the Three Kings sings us the sweetest of songs.

  • Messengers’ song

    Sing along with the messengers who collect letters full of dreams and excitement for the Three Kings.

  • Coal song

    Coal! Coal! A song for the children who haven’t been good.