Gibraltar enjoys daytime Three Kings’ Cavalcade

Floats featuring well known films and characters paraded down Main Street on Sunday in the first daytime Three Kings’ Cavalcade. 

The Cavalcade was held at 2pm due forecast rain that evening, and despite the earlier time children and families lined Main Street with excitement and anticipation to see the various floats pass by. 

Before the community-crafted floats took to the street, each of the Three Kings passed the crowds as well as Miss Gibraltar 2024 Shania Ballester, 1st Princess Phoebe Nobel and 2nd Princess Lauren Shephard. 

Nine floats entered competitively, with the McGrail family scooping the top prize in the senior section for their Great Gatsby float. 

‘We are family’, who had for some 10 years entered the Cavalcade as the Balloqui family but changed their name to include much of the extended family taking part in the float, took the second prize in the senior section for their Shrek themed float. 

‘Nautical Nonsense’ which was SpongeBob themed by El Martillo Ltd and Boluda Towage Gibraltar took the third prize. 

The Gibraltar Horticultural Society and the Gibraltar Rugby Football Union also entered floats into the senior category. 

As for the junior section, the Roberts family’s Grinch themed float took the top prize, with Local business Party Pop’s float based on Disney’s ‘Up’ film taking second and the Youth Service’s float based on Disney’s ‘Inside Out 2’ film taking the third prize. 

For some entities who entered floats into the Cavalcade, it was not about winning prizes but instead about adding to the occasion by entering non-competitively.  

Steven Belilo of the Musicians Association of Gibraltar told the Chronicle about the 60s themed float entered by the Association in collaboration with Yalta Dance Studio. 

Having collaborated last year for the first time, they decided to take part again this year. 

The vibrant float made its way up Main Street with dancers following the float, as well as two singers on the float performing along backing tracks surrounded by seas of colour. 

“We wanted to go for a 60s theme so we decided to go for flower power,” Mr Belilo said. 

“All the woodwork was done by the works department in the prison service, we had the officers and inmates preparing all of the woodwork.” 

“Then we put it together, it took like a week to do.” 

“We are emphasising more on the live music on the float, we are the only float who provide live music throughout the cavalcade.” 

GJBS’ Alice in Wonderland float also added to the non-competitive line-up. 

Stephen Valarino of GJBS told the Chronicle that the team this year wanted to place a bigger emphasis on costumes. 

He said the idea came from Pamela Lightbody, who is in charge of much of the team’s Cavalcade preparations. 

“She’s the main person in charge of the kids, the costumes, the sweets, she does all that for us,” he said. 

“Then we have three or four other individuals who take the lead with the carpentry work, the fencing, the lighting.” 

“It’s a group of people, we get together during the summer, decide on a theme and as early as September we are thrashing out ideas and coming out with designs.” 

“And the first week of December we start the actual work.” 

“Pamela had the idea, in previous years we did a lot on the actual float, but this year we scaled it down a little bit and focused on the costumes.” 

“The kids really enjoy the costumes more than the float.” 

GBC also added to the occasion with their float based on the broadcaster’s classic children’s show ‘The Magic Garden’ which was this year relaunched. 

The idea to participate stemmed from wrapping up their 60th anniversary celebrations. 

“It’s been such a busy year for GBC, we started with our 60th anniversary celebrations in January with the exhibition, we had the special documentary, we’ve had our 60 years of news,” GBC’s CEO James Neish said. 

“And obviously as part of the 60th we brought back the Magic Garden on air.” 

He added that GBC wanted to take part in the Cavalcade in what has been a “special year” for the broadcaster, alongside the fact that GBC open day contributes funds towards the Cavalcade. 

The float displayed elements from today’s set of the show, as well as from it’s old set, as well as paying tribute to the show’s various presenters through time. 

Camera crew onboard the float also filmed the route the float took up Main Street to provide the public with an opportunity to see the view onboard a float. 

Lazer-Tag also contributed to the showcase, with a water raft making its way through town.

Childline Gibraltar, Pedal ready, and the Rif Community Foundation also added to the occasion by walking in between floats up Main Street. 

Band and Corps of Drums of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, Sea Scouts Pipe Band, 1st/4th Scouts Band, the Gibraltar Band and Drums Association, and the Re-enactment Association also added to the Cavalcade’s line-up.