Just under 30,000 euros, a figure more or less the same as last year, have been allocated to the Christmas festivities in Palma by the town hall. There will be a total of 87 different types of activity and event, which start tomorrow (Friday) with the Christmas lights being turned on and the opening of the nativities at the town hall and Buzón Real and will end on the day of the Three Kings, 6 January.
Tomorrow, there will be three parades that will leave at 5.45pm from the Porta de Sant Antoni, Plaça Espanya and the Passeig Born and which will head for the square in front of the town hall, where, at 7pm, there will be a concert by the youth choir of the young musicians of Palma. At 7.20pm, a declaration will be made on behalf of the Amigos del Pueblo Saharaui and Escola en Pau (friends of the Saharan people and the peace school). Two children from these two organisations, accompanied by Palma’s mayor, José Hila, will be in charge of switching on the Christmas lights, which should be at half seven. This will be followed by a performance by a children’s choir.
The town hall’s nativity will also be opened, this being one that is set in the streets and most emblematic parts of the city, and in which will be seen the walls, the town hall, the street to the Almudaina Palace, among others. All models for the nativity have been specially handmade for the nativity. One hundred and ninety in all, they have been crafted by Margalida Nicolau and are typical Majorcan clay figures. As every year, children will be able to post their letters to the Three Kings of the Orient at the Buzón Real (literally, royal mailbox), which will be open in the town hall lobby until 4 January.
Other events over the festivities will include the New Year’s Eve party. This will start at 11pm with a performance by La Movida Band and, following the traditional ringing of bells to see in the New Year, there will be a grand party with La Movida and The Watermelons.
Nine of the 87 activities have been organised by the citizen participation department at the town hall, and the others have been arranged in collaboration with various local associations and other bodies.