Santa Cruz is gearing up to celebrate the most “magical and thrilling” day of the year tomorrow with the arrival of Their Majesties the Three Wise Men of the East. The local council has organised a special programme targeting children, which prominently features a welcome show for Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltasar at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium at 5:00 p.m. Following this, the grand Parade will commence at 7:00 p.m., winding through a 3.6-kilometre route. This year, the procession will include approximately a thousand performers, fifteen illuminated floats, live music provided by ten dixieland bands, thirty inflatables, beloved children’s characters, and, most importantly, the Kings travelling in vehicles adorned with camel motifs.
This was announced yesterday by the mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez, alongside the Festival Councillor, Javier Caraballero, during the unveiling of the events programme for this festive occasion. This announcement took place on the pitch of the capital’s stadium, which, tomorrow, will be filled with joy during the reception ceremony for the Kings. The show will kick off at 5:00 p.m. – although the gates of the Heliodoro will open at 3:30 p.m. – with the renowned international group Cantajuego performing for the first time in the Canary Islands before an audience of 18,000, as detailed by the area councillor.
An hour and a half later, the venue will host an engaging ceremony conducted by Paula Álvarez, featuring the Cantajuego show as a lead-up to the arrival of Their Majesties in Santa Cruz. “The finest children’s musical show on an international scale, with 600 dancers, will summon the Three Wise Men, who will soar through the sky in an Army helicopter,” Caraballero elaborated.
Upon Their Majesties’ entrance into the stadium, the mayor will present them with the magic key that opens all homes within the municipality. This show will also be broadcast live on Channel 4 Television, after which the Parade will commence. During the procession, the Kings’ attendants will distribute around 2,500 kilograms of gluten-free sweets.
Additionally, there will be designated seating areas to enjoy the enchanted parade, with a reserved section for spectators with reduced mobility (PMR) located at the intersection of Méndez Núñez and Pi y Margall streets. Furthermore, the segment between Méndez Núñez and Numancia and El Pilar (in front of García Sanabria park) will have no sound.
The route will culminate at Plaza de la Candelaria, where Their Majesties will pay homage to the Child Jesus.
Bermúdez’s message to the Kings: “Health and a more vibrant city”
Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez has already penned his “letter” to the Three Wise Men, expressing personal wishes for “health for my family” and for the city to “become more economically vibrant, with reduced unemployment and improved circumstances for those most in need.” These heartfelt sentiments were echoed by the mayor of Fiestas, Javier Caraballero, who remarked yesterday that “thanks to the efforts of a dedicated team, Santa Cruz has established itself as the Christmas capital of the Canary Islands.”
Tomorrow’s festivities to celebrate the reception and parade of the Three Wise Men will involve parking restrictions and partial road closures. The royal procession will commence from Belgium Avenue at 7:00 p.m., with a police presence of around 70 officers alongside health and Civil Protection personnel to ensure the safety of the event.
