Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar arrived this Sunday at the port of Ibiza amid greetings, cheers and a bitter cold that failed to dampen the illusion of hundreds of families. The traditional Three Kings parade was held a day in advance due to the forecast of rains by the Francis squall, in an unprecedented decision that allowed many residents of other municipalities -whose festivities usually coincide- to join the parade for the first time in the capital.
The arrival of the Three Wise Men, who disembarked at 18.00 hours in the area of the boats of Formentera, marked the beginning of a magical day. The families gathered witnessed the adoration of the baby Jesus, accompanied by the bishop of Ibiza, Vicent Ribas, and municipal representatives such as the deputy mayor Gema Marí and the councilor of Festivities, Fran Torres.
Despite the wind and low temperatures, the procession went through the main streets of Vila with themed floats, oriental-inspired music -sprinkled by some film soundtrack- and the participation of about 500 members, including dance companies, gymnastics and local shows such as the Dance Center, Club Gimnàstic Ibiza de Artística, Sabrina Dance Center or Acrobati-k Espectáculos.
The costumes of the Kings and their 60 pages were completely renovated this year, which brought an air of freshness to the parade, as explained by the City Council.
Record number of candies
The Ibiza Town Hall doubled the amount of candies thrown compared to the previous year, reaching three tons.
The early date also benefited local workers and tourists who would not have been able to attend if it had been held on Monday. Many residents who had recently arrived on the island experienced their first Epiphany night in Ibiza, and several expressed their surprise at seeing the arrival of their Majesties from the sea, a unique experience.
