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The Three Kings Day Parade: camels, sheep, and great music
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A boy at the Three Kings Parade in New York
It was a close call, but the camels and sheep will be parading through East Harlem today after all—along with thousands of children, puppets, stilt walkers and the Three Magi. Uptown kids can let out a sigh of relief now that activists from El Barrio and folks in the Mayor’s Office have temporarily managed to solve a budget crisis by finding sponsors for the animals, an important part of the Three Kings Day parade, celebrating its 32nd anniversary this year.
According to tradition, January 6th—the Feast of the Epiphany—is the day the three kings, Melchoir, Caspar and Baltazar visited the baby Jesus in the manger, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. In Puerto Rico and Latin America, as well as in many other parts of the world, it is the day children receive gifts, after leaving hay for the animals beside their beds the night before.
In 1977 the Latino culture museum El Museo del Barrio first organized the Tres Reyes or Three Kings parade to celebrate the day and neighborhood children have been giddily looking forward to it ever since. Tomorrow’s events begin at 10:00 a.m. with the parade lineup of school children and community members on the corner of 106th Street and Third Avenue. At 10:45, Mayor Bloomberg will arrive, and at 11:00 the actual march begins. The parade will end about an hour later at La Marqueta Plaza at 115th Street and Park Avenue, where the three kings will give toys to about 1000 children.
In Latino culture, a feast day is never complete without music and El Día de los Tres Reyes is no exception. Parading musicians will play traditional instruments such as güiro, clave and maracas, just as holiday revelers do in Puerto Rico. And three days later, on Saturday, January 10, El Museo will host a celebration in its theater that will include Puerto Rican parranda music and a play based on the Mexican tradition of pastorelas or the shepards’ plays.
So happy Epiphany: let the festivities begin!
Schedule for Tuesday, January 6:
10:30 am: Parade lineup at 106th Street and Third Avenue, includes school groups, Three Kings and community members.
10:45 am: Mayor Bloomberg arrives to parade lineup at 106th St. and Third Ave.
11 am: Parade kicks off.
Parade route: Third Avenue northbound from 106th to 116th, west on 116th to Lexington, south on Lexington to 112th, west on 112th to Park, north on Park to 115th.
Schedule for Saturday, January 10:
3 to 5 pm: Celebration at El Museo’s Heckscher Theater. First come first served. Puerto Rican parranda music and a play based on Mexican pastorelas.
Parade details (click here)
El Museo del Barrio
1230 Fifth Avenue (at 104th Street)
New York, NY 10029
Phone 212 831-7272
World Fest Ensemble performs "Los Reyes de Oriente," traditonal Three Kings song
"Misa Criola" music with Three Kings Day visuals:
Articles from Ian Malinow, the Latin Music Examiner
Articles from Evelyn McCormack, the Family Friendly Events Examiner
Articles from Lorri Giovinco-Harte, the NY Education Examiner
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