3 Kings day: granada

I'm going back to Granada for a week January 1-10. I know that 3 Kings day falls somewhere in there... anybody know what to expect? Will things be open? Processions? Mass? Ive heard lots of rumors but was hoping somebody could tell me for sure. Thanks!

Well, I've never been in Granada in January, but in every town/village/city of Spain, in the evening of Jan 5th there is a Three Kings Parade (Cabalgata de Reyes, in Spanish). It is totally kids oriented, with floats with people throwing candies and, usually, three people disguised representing the Three Kings riding camels. The bigger the city, the more spectacular the parade.

For the not-so-kids (i.e., people in their twenties), there use to be all night long parties, kinda New Year's Eve.

Just an update: Went to the 3 Kings day parade in granada last week... it was total CRAZINESS! So much fun though! People waited hours to get the best places street side. The parade itself lasted a good 2 hours, and was really pretty elaborate (everything from a real elephant, to camels, to dancers and fire eaters, etc), with a beginning, then the processsion of all 3 kings, and then kinda celebratory end. Yes, it was kid oriented but I gotta tell ya, suddenly everybody in that city was a kid from the 2 year olds, to the 20 year olds to the 80 year olds:-) Lots of candy throwing, and people fighting for it, Spanish mothers arguing over whos kid should be in front, parents thrusting kids at the floats to fill their bags, teenage boys yelling at the girls on the floats etc. Quite the contrast to the very somber Semana Santa! :-) Kelly

I was at the Three Kings Parade in Malaga. It is always a lot of fun for people of all ages. Here are some photos....

Ill post some pics when i get them on my computer... it was more fun than i expected! In granada it was after dark and so all the lit up floats were beautiful! Not to mention the mad dash for the bizillion little caramelos that were being hurled through the air at high speeds:-)