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It's mid August. The beaches are packed, it's gloriously hot and the last thing on most people's minds is Christmas. And yet, while everyone else is reaching for the suncream, Cartagena's Department of Culture is already deep in the planning for the Three Kings Parade of January 2027. Fair enough, really. These things don't organise themselves.

 

The Ayuntamiento has put a contract out to tender for 13 floats to fill the streets of the city centre with the kind of spectacle that makes the whole thing worth staying up late for. The base budget for the tender sits at €114,950 including VAT, covering not just the floats themselves but their transport, assembly, dismantling and everything in between.

 

The 13 floats are split into three distinct groups. First come the three royal floats for Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar, each built around thrones, staircases and Christmas decoration, with large-format figures including an Egyptian-inspired elephant for Melchior and camels laden with gifts for the other two.

 

Then there are five children's floats, and this is where things get genuinely fun. The planned themes include superheroes, a space adventure starring Mickey Mouse as an astronaut, a Peter Pan float and one inspired by Space Jam. The Paw Patrol entry is particularly detailed in the brief, designed to look like a fire truck complete with a control tower, starring Marshall the Dalmatian firefighter.

 

Each float must also include dedicated spaces for sweets and stuffed animals, which will come as excellent news to every child lining the route. Children across Cartagena are going to lose their minds.

 

The third group consists of five illuminated floats designed to light up the nighttime parade. These include an insect orchestra, a float dedicated to the sea, a Star of Bethlehem, one inspired by Avatar and another recreating the world of The Lion King, complete with large-scale structures and striking LED lighting.

 

All floats must measure between 4 and 4.2 metres in height and carry between 10 and 15 people, with safety requirements including liability insurance, fire extinguishers and two technicians on call throughout the day of the parade.

 

The winning company must have everything assembled by December 21 2026, with dismantling completed by January 30 2027. The Ayuntamiento will handle sound, traction vehicles and general coordination.

 

So while the rest of us enjoy the summer, someone in Cartagena is already very much in the Christmas spirit.

 

 

Image: wikicommons