Christmas lights, New Year's fireworks, and Three Kings parade: Barcelona unveils holiday program

Christmas is coming! Barcelona City Council presented its Christmas activity program on Wednesday, with events aimed at all audiences, "full of light and magic." 

It all kicks off on November 28 with a big show on Passeig de Gràcia and the switching on of the Christmas lights, after an urban dance performance with 28 dancers, rap and audiovisual effects. 

This year the Christmas lights stretch an additional six kilometers, reaching a total of 110 km, and will stay on an additional two hours per day, until 2 am. 

Some 24 illuminated seasonal figures, such as reindeer, will be placed around the city, and there will be a design inspired by the film 'El 47.' 

The celebrations will also feature the Barcelona Christmas Festival at Plaça Catalunya, the Three Kings parade, New Year's Eve fireworks, and several Christmas markets. 

The city will also host its traditional New Year's Eve 10k run, the Cursa dels Nassos, plus special programming at Tibidabo Park, the 10th Responsible Consumption Fair, and the Santa Llúcia Fair. 

Barcelona Christmas Festival 

One of the epicenters for performing arts will be the Barcelona Christmas Festival at Plaça de Catalunya from December 20 to 30. It will host over 25 performances of theater, circus, dance, and music, including 13 premieres in Barcelona. 

The festival includes activities for the whole family, with morning performances of small-scale shows, afternoons dedicated to street dance and circus, and concerts featuring various music genres, from electronic to folk. 

Drone light show for New Year's 

Without a doubt, one of the major highlights of the program is the New Year's Eve show at Montjuïc on Maria Cristina Avenue. 

Once again, organized by Groupe F and directed by Christophe Berthonneau, it will feature a spectacular fusion of music, fireworks, and more than 500 drones lighting up the sky. 

Magic of the stars 

Plaça Sant Jaume, in the heart of Barcelona's Old Town, will host a 15-meter-tall Christmas tree which will pay tribute to the magic of stars. 

As previously announced, a 20-point star will light up the square, while the headquarters of both the city council and the Catalan government will display a traditional nativity scene. 

Carol concert 

Another novelty this year is that the Orfeó Català Christmas concert will be held outside Barcelona Cathedral on January 3. 

This is a free event where people of all ages can enjoy music performed by the Orfeó Català, a choir with more than 125 years of history, under the direction of conductor Pablo Larraz. 

Three Kings return to Barcelona 

January 5 is the most magical night of the year for Catalan children. In Barcelona, the Three Kings will arrive at 4 pm at Portal de la Pau aboard the Pailebot Santa Eulàlia, where they will be greeted by the mayor. 

To welcome them, the mayor will offer them bread and salt, and give them the keys to the city, so they can deliver gifts to all homes in Barcelona. 

At 6 pm, the traditional Three Kings Cavalcade will set off. The wise men and their entourage will parade through the streets of the city, following the same route as last year, and accompanied by a host of floats. 

Neighborhoods around Barcelona will also celebrate the arrival of the Three Kings with their own parades, full of magic and unique, local features. 

Before the arrival of the Three Kings, a former industrial site in Sant Andreu will be transformed into a toy factory, where children can come to speak with the people working there to make all their dreams and wishes come true.