2023 Three Kings Parade Route
Venue:
The parade will go along various city centre streets in Barcelona.
When:
5 January 2023
Timetable:
starting at 6.00 pm
Come and welcome Their Majesties and their entourage to the most magical parade, the route of which has been modified this year!
At 4 pm on 5 January, Their Majesties Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar will arrive once again at the Portal de la Pau on the schooner Santa Eulàlia. There they’ll be received by the mayor, who’ll offer them bread and salt as a symbol of hospitality and welcome, and hand them the keys to the city so that they have access to every house.
At 6 pm the Three Kings and their entourage will set off on their parade, which will take a new route due to the works on Via Laietana: along Passeig de Colom, on to Av. Paral·lel and then along Ronda de Sant Pau and C. Urgell, before turning onto C. Sepúlveda, and coming to an end at the Magic Fountain just after 9 pm.
This year's parade will consist of some spectacular floats, with lots of new features:
- Hola, Barcelona: the Brincadeira Company will be welcoming the Three Kings and leading the way for the whole of the procession, accompanied by Gata perduda, from the Gran Teatre del Liceu.
- Royal Couriers: the dancers from the Luthiers school will be in charge of collecting the letters, accompanied by Gregori, the city’s page boy.
- Estel’s Float: Page girl Estel and her entourage of magical stars will be accompanied by the Brodas Bros and the Luminolifes - big starry beings.
- King Melchior: King Melchior's new float and his magical entourage will have luminous wings and will be accompanied by dancers from the Centre de Dansa de Catalunya.
- The Toys: who’ll be riding on a new float full of energy, movement, colour and light, choreographed by Fre3 Bodies.
- King Gaspar: accompanied by his magical entourage, the blonde king will be showing off his new float, with choreography by Som-hi Dansa.
- Instructions for dreaming: a new float in the shape of a magic bed with sheets made from the sails of a ship will be a reminder of how important it is to go to bed on time, with dance from SADCUM.
- King Balthazar: the royal welcome will be brought to a close by King Balthazar and his entourage’s brand new float, with choreography by Anna Mbengue.
- The coal: the float representing a mine with coal, fire, smoke and miners will be accompanied by the Kampai & La Banda Street Groove Company, and will be absolutely spectacular.
The final new feature this year is the sweetest one: after a break of two years, the floats will once again be throwing out sweets all along the route, under the guidance of page boy Omar.
NOU RECORREGUT 2023
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.
Advice before the parade
- Remember that this year the parade will change its route, the start and finish will be the same as every year, but the works on Via Laietana will divert it to Avinguda del Paral·lel to go up the Ronda de Sant Pau and Urgell to Carrer 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 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.
Information for people with disabilities
- The arrival of the Three Kings of the Orient at the Portal de la Pau will come with a special sign-language interpreting service for their speeches and spaces reserved for people with a disability.
- Spaces will be reserved, during the parade, for people with disabilities in Pla de Palau (sea-facing side) and in Plaça d'Espanya (in the section between Av Paral·lel and Av Reina Maria Cristina).
- You are advised to arrive there early given the large number of people expected to attend the event.
Artistic Card
Artistic directors: Marta Almirall and Barbarana Pons / Staging and design: José Menchero, Ramón de los Heros and Kimeric / Lighting and special effects: Àlex Posada and Andreu Fàbregas / Sound: Àlex Faure / Music: Conservatori Liceu Foundation, José Manuel Pagan, Xavi Oró i Brodas Bros / Companies: Brincadeira, Som-hi Dansa, La SADCUM, Brodas Bros, Fre3 Bodies, Centre de Dansa de Catalunya, the Luthier School of Music and Dance, Kampai & La Banda Street Groove, Anna Mbengue, Luminolife del Sindicato de Monstruos and Família Tambedou de Roseland / Participating schools: Escola Oriol Martorell, Institut del Teatre - CPD, Escola Memory, Escola Ramon Solé, Escola Núria Dansa, Escola Slam Dancing Barcelona, Escola La Fàbrica dels Somnis, Escola L’Obrador del Moviment and Escola ARA - Alt Rendiment Artístic / Participating organisations: Voluntaris 2000, Los Ríos en Cataluña Cultural Association, the Barcelona Giants Coordination Committee, Federació d’Entitats de Cultura Popular i Tradicional de Barcelona Vella and La Casa dels Entremesos, Corre amb Mi, Coro Kudyapi and Musical’s Choir / Artistic production: Edurne Ucero / Production: Gemma Martínez, Anna Sagrera, Tere Viguer and Montse Montoto / Dance team and assistant directors: Carla Pérez, Núria Salas and Albert Bonet / Costumes: Igone López, Sandra Navarro, Salvador Ferrer, Solsieray Montori, Patrícia Pujol, Patrícia Santos, Meritxell Bosch, Izaskun Martínez and Maite Grande / Props: Andreu Bresca / Artistic ‘crida’: Verónica García / Popular ‘crida’: Yasmina Fuentes / With the collaboration of: Gran Teatre del Liceu
2023 Three Kings Parade Route
Venue:
The parade will go along various city centre streets in Barcelona.
When:
5 January 2023
Timetable:
starting at 6.00 pm
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.