Cádiz Three Kings Parade
On the afternoon of 5 January the Three Kings ride on floats along the main avenue to plaza de San Juan de Dios, greet the crowd from the Town Hall balcony and close Christmas in Cádiz.
When
Next: Tuesday, January 5, 2027.
On 5 January, the eve of Epiphany. The parade sets off in the late afternoon.
Last time: Monday, January 5, 2026.
What it is
The Three Kings Parade is the event that closes the Christmas programme organised every year by Cádiz City Council's Festivals Department. Before it come the switching-on of the festive lights in late November, the municipal Nativity scene, the official Nativity scene competition and, in mid-December, the handing-over of the Kings' crowns in the council chamber, where the previous year's Kings pass the role on to the new ones, together with the Star and the Royal Postman.
On 5 January the Kings start early: in the morning they visit care homes for the elderly, the Puerta del Mar hospital and various organisations in the city. In the afternoon the parade sets off from outside the old walls, with floats built by a professional company, street performers and walking groups in which youth groups from the brotherhoods and other organisations take part.
When they reach plaza de San Juan de Dios, decked out with a red carpet and pennants, the Kings cross it on foot, enter the Town Hall and say goodbye to the children from the balcony. They then go to the convent of Santo Domingo to adore the Christ Child, the act with which the City Council brings the Christmas festivities to a close.
Where
The parade runs along the city's main avenue from outside the old walls into the historic centre. In 2024 it set off from avenida Cayetano del Toro, near the Ana Orantes roundabout, and continued along avenida Ana de Viya, avenida de Andalucía and Cuesta de las Calesas to plaza de San Juan de Dios, where the Kings enter the Town Hall and greet the crowd from the balcony. The day ends at the convent of Santo Domingo.
Customs and traditions
Children wait along the avenue to catch the sweets thrown from the floats: the City Council spoke of about 13,000 kilos in 2024. The procession is made up of the floats of the three Kings, the Star of the East and the Royal Postman, plus themed floats with street performers between them.
In the days before, the Royal Postman collects children's letters in the squares of the centre, and the evening ends with the Kings on the Town Hall balcony and the adoration of the Christ Child at Santo Domingo.
FAQ
When is the Three Kings Parade in Cádiz?
On the afternoon of 5 January, as the close of the City Council's Christmas programme.
Where does the parade end?
In plaza de San Juan de Dios. The Kings enter the Town Hall and say goodbye to the children from the balcony.
What route does it follow?
Along the main avenue from outside the old walls. In 2024 it started near the Ana Orantes roundabout and went along avenida Ana de Viya, avenida de Andalucía and Cuesta de las Calesas.
What do the Kings do after the parade?
They go to the convent of Santo Domingo to adore the Christ Child, the act that closes the Christmas season organised by the City Council.