The Three Kings Parade in Palma will return on 5th January at 6pm with the traditional arrival of the Three Kings at the Moll Vell and will end its route in the Plaza de Cort with the royal salute from the balcony of the Town Hall.
The councillor for Citizen Participation of Palma City Council, Lourdes Roca, announced at a press conference on Wednesday that the parade will feature 14 floats this year, one more than last year, and 450 artists with this year's, the Nativity of Jesus.
Roca highlighted new this year, that the Three Wise Men will arrive at the Moll Vell aboard the 'llaüt' La Balear, which celebrates its centenary this year, and the route will end in the Plaza de Cort and not in the Casal Solleric as in previous years.
As for the route, the parade will start at the Moll Vell in the direction of Avenida Antoni Maura, Plaza de la Reina and Jaume I until it reaches the Rambla. There, Roca pointed out that this year there will be a new route to the end of the Rambla, connecting with Avenida Alemania and continuing to Paseo Mallorca. Afterwards, it will continue along Jaime III street to Plaza de la Reina square, where some floats will continue to the Moll Vell and others will go up to Plaza de Cort.
Once there, the Three Kings will offer the royal greeting from the balcony of the Town Hall, where they will be received by the local authorities, at approximately 9pm. In this regard, the deputy mayor remarked that Three Kings' greeting at Cort was "a demand from the people".
She also explained that Palma's Teatre Principal has lent part of the costumes for the performers, and that hybrid and electric vehicles will also be introduced. The parade will feature the largest number of floats built by the town hall itself.
The artistic director of the parade, Dani Puig, pointed out on Wednesday that on the 5th there will be eight seven-metre floats and six five-metre floats, towed by different vehicles, the traditional ones such as tractors, and other ecological ones.
In this regard, some of the new floats that both Puig and Roca have highlighted are the Betlem de la Sang and the 'neules', which aim to "reflect Mallorcan traditions". "It is a crucial part of the celebration," added Roca.
They have also indicated that on the floats there will be actors, such as craftsmen and architects, as well as 23 troupes, some of them new, such as the one that will precede the float of the Betlem de la Sang. Another novelty is the 'Herald pregoner' float, which represents the horse with the messenger who used to announce the news and who, in this case, will announce the arrival of the Kings.
As for the Kings' floats, Puig explained that they have been remodelled, maintaining the iconography of each one of them. This year a new character will be introduced, the guardian of the chests, who will guard the chests represented on the floats. These floats will also be preceded by the traditional floats with toys and gifts, a live musical group and a circus, among other groups.
As to the preparation of the parade, Roca said that contact with the artistic director has been fluid and that points in common have been established. For his part, Puig pointed out that the City Council "has made a great effort to adapt to the requirements" and that they have helped to incorporate new elements and provide new resources.
Roca also explained that next Wednesday, 3 January, the Royal Pages will arrive in the city to collect the letters. They will do so at 11.30am in the Plaza de Cort, and there will be a performance by Maria Bimbolles at 11am in the same square.