Over 200,000 Madrileños braved temperatures as low as -3°C to watch the Three Kings Parade, which paid homage to teachers, parents, and grandparents for inspiring children's learning. The procession featured 15 sustainable floats and distributed 1,200 kg of sugar-free candies. The event, themed 'Shared Knowledge,' involved 2,100 participants and a budget of two million euros.
On the afternoon of January 5, 2026, Madrid was wrapped in a chilly atmosphere for the traditional Three Kings Parade, with temperatures between 2 and 4°C and a wind chill as low as -3°C. Despite the cold, over 200,000 people gathered along Paseo de la Castellana to watch the procession, which started from Nuevos Ministerios after 6:00 PM and ended at Plaza de Cibeles.
The entourage, organized by Madrid City Council with a two-million-euro budget, included 15 electrically powered floats, 250 royal pages, and a retinue of 2,100 people accompanying Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltasar. They distributed 1,200 kg of sugar-free candies to promote healthy habits. Security was ensured by 400 agents and 200 health workers.
Under the theme 'Shared Knowledge,' the event emphasized education's importance. The CEU float featured 100 participants in academic robes paying homage to educators. The Teatro Real float impressed with 56 hand-painted facades and recycled opera costumes.
Upon arriving at Cibeles, King Gaspar delivered an emotional speech: «You, dear children, are the scientists, artists, and thinkers of tomorrow. [...] It is your grandparents and parents who have ignited that desire to learn, but it is your teachers who nurture it». Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida welcomed them: «No child without a gift. All children have been very good».
Families like the Arbizu Rodríguez, with their giant ladder, captured the collective excitement. Children like María, in a 1949 fire truck, and 9-year-old Valeria forgot the cold amid the magic. Some spectators lamented the absence of actor Beltrán Iraburu as Gaspar, expressing disappointment on social media.
