The Cavalcade of Kings of Alcoi (Alicante) is one of the oldest held in Spain, and probably in Europe. The documentary antecedents date back to 1866, although it is carried out continuously from 1885.
So that this year the parade of the three wise men through the streets of this mountain municipality will take place for 128 years without interruption. If something is worth seeing, it is because he has known faithfully maintain tradition without incorporating elements outside the Christmas holidays, for this reason it is endowed with 'a lot of character'. To begin the retinue of the Magi are just many popular and typical characters known to children and adults and transmitted from generation to generation, so that the little ones and know them perfectly when they turn four. In Alcoi the different acts of the Christmas holidays do not constitute isolated celebrations but rather they are all interconnected and follow each other. During the school holidays the children have the opportunity to live small pieces of Christmas in their population by attending the performances of the Bethlehem of Tirisiti (surprising and very customary), witness the act of 'Les Pastoretes' and deposit with great emotion your letter in one of the mailboxes that donkeys carry the day before the ride.
This is no secret, but few children see it up close: the Magi encamp in the Preventorio mountain (the lights of the fires are perfectly distinguished), and the night before the Cavalcade, after the passage of the Royal Ambassador and from the donkeys that carry the letters written with care, their helpers descend with torches in their hands, as if to mark the way of arrival to the population. The preparations for the most magical night have begun
In November 2001 this Cavalcade was declared a Festival of National Tourist Interest. Undoubtedly one of the most anticipated acts of the tour, and harder to see because the place is very busy, is that of 'Adoration ': when the Magi arrive at the Plaza de España, they get off their horses and approach the birth that is staged by real characters. The music of Häendel's 'Messiah', the delivery of gold, frankincense and myrrh and fireworks envelop this moment.
In Alcoi children do not wonder how the Magi manage to take gifts to their homes while they are parading, and they do not because Dozens of pages loaded with red wooden stairs and bulky packages that lead to the balconies open their way in front of the eyes of all attendees. Everything fits.
Neither superfluous ornaments, out of context characters or design floats are necessary here, the children just want to see Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar, here Gaspar is the black king. And also here (in Alcoi) the kids enjoy it very much before seeing the spectacular appearance of these 'magicians' on camels, because the Cavalcade also includes musicians who play 'dolçaines', shepherds, local music bands and 'heralds'.
If any of you plans to go to Alcoi tomorrow afternoon, you should know that the Cavalcade starts at 6:00 p.m. in the upper part of the town, and that after the end of the Adoration continues along Sant Llorenç Street, ending at the San Roque Bridge (about 10 pm). Do not arrive with the right time because it is very difficult to park, unless it is in one of the newest neighborhoods, and ask anyone if you have doubts, since any Alcoyano can tell you how to get to one of the transit areas of the Wise men.
Describing this act is very difficult, you must live in the first person to understand, and for those who go with children for the first time, be prepared to capture the emotion on their faces, emotion that translates into joy when they see the huge camels appear, and that may become crying when any of the pages approach them to greet you affectionately.
When everything ends, the little alcoyanos feel privileged, because they know that at home (and that of their grandparents and uncles) the gifts await them, they don't have to wait the next dayWith each visit you make, your stomach will be filled with a piece of roscón and hot chocolate, and your hands with some of the desired toys.
Images | ARAMULTIMÈDIA More information | Alcoi City Council, Alcoi.com In a Traveler's Diary | Curiosities of the Cavalcade of Kings of Alcoy In Peques and More | In 2013, a giant star will guide the floats of the Magi at the Madrid parade
