The Three Kings parade is around the corner

MORE than 10,000 kilos of sweets will be thrown on January 5 at the Three Kings’ parade in Motril.

Mayor of the town, Luisa Garcia Chamorro, together with the head of Festivities Department, Alfredo Ortega Tovar, visited the warehouse where the 10,000 kilos of sweets are kept, the same location where the organising association is finishing up the preparations for the most magical night of the year.

Garcia stressed the efforts made by the 20 members of the association during the whole year to make the parade come to life, as well as the Local Police, Fire Department and Guardian Protection officers, who ensure the safety of everyone involved.

Almost 600 people will take part in the parade, including organisers, safety officers, children and young people who will be up on the floats and take charge of the sweet-throwing.

This year, the parade will consist of 19 floats, with the new addition of one depicting an igloo and an articulated polar bear.

The parade will start at 7pm at the Ronda del Mediodia, following Acequia Gorda, Ronda del Mediodia, Matraquilla, Aguas del Hospital, Rio Ebro, Avenida Salobreña, Pie de Santuario, Avenida Andalucía, Calle Cuevas, Calle Lopez Rubio, Rambla de Capuchinos, Santisimo, Calle Ancha, Camino San Antonio, Posta, Calle Nueva, Calle Teatro, Marques de Vistabella, Plaza Javier de Burgos, Catalanes, Calle Muralla, Avenida Salobreña, Aguas del Hospital and finish at Ronda del Mediodia at 11pm aproximately.

Safety measures will be in place following the recommendations of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities of Provinces (FEMP) to avoid tragic incidents such as the one that occurred in Malaga last year when a child died after being ran over by one of the floats.

This is why Motril floats will have side skirts to prevent children from slipping under them.

Another safety measure will be a ban on float-pull drivers throwing sweets or carrying passengers with them.

More than 30 Local Police officers and 40 volunteers from Civil Protection, the Red Cross and the organising association will work to ensure that the event passes off safely.