The presentation was presided over by Emilio A. Boja Malavé, president of the Seville Athenaeum, and Manuel Ruiz Rojas, director of Institutional Relations for the Caja Rural del Sur Foundation. Also in attendance, representing the Seville City Council, was Álvaro Pimentel Siles, delegate for Cartuja, Innovative Parks, Mobility, Economy and Commerce, and the Bellavista-La Palmera District.
Following the welcoming remarks by Manuel Sáinz Méndez, director of the Three Kings Parade, and the presentation by Luis Rizo Haro, member of the Fine Arts Committee of the Ateneo, Fernando Vaquero, the poster's designer, addressed the audience. The event also featured a musical performance by the Regina Coeli Musical Association, which provided a festive atmosphere with Christmas carols and melodies.
What does the poster for the 2026 Three Kings Parade in Seville represent?
A work that evokes childhood and magic
Painted in oil on canvas, the work captures an intimate and universal moment: the dawn of Three Kings' Day. Vaquero narrated the story behind its creation, breaking down each element in detail:
In the poster, a paper bag with the emblem of the Ateneo de Sevilla rests next to a door frame, silently guarding the magic about to be reborn. These candies symbolize the bridge between the fantasy of the night and the tenderness of dawn.
Sunlight floods the living room, where the Christmas tree shines alongside the gifts. Among them, a Real Betis jersey and a robe from the Hermandad de la Macarena (Brotherhood of La Macarena) stand out, details that have elicited diverse reactions in the city. The boy appears with his back to the viewer, an intentional choice so that each viewer can relive their own childhood. Beside him, some stuffed animals accompany a little girl whose face is that of my daughter, Julia.
The text on the poster, written with colored chalk—a symbol of childhood and the school environment—includes three small crowns above the initials of the Three Wise Men: M, G, and B.
“Dear Seville,” Vaquero concluded, “I arrived today with a painting under my arm that aimed to depict something very simple to understand, but difficult to express: wonder. I hope I have succeeded.”
Did you like the poster for the 2026 Three Kings Parade in Seville?
Following its unveiling, the poster has generated considerable buzz on social media, where some fans of other teams and brotherhoods have expressed their disagreement with the choice of symbols depicted. The artist, for his part, has issued a statement clarifying that the inclusion of the Betis jersey stems from “a childhood memory” and that he “did not intend to exclude or divide anyone” with his work.
Vaquero emphasized that he undertook the commission altogether, as “a sincere gift to my city,” although he lamented the “aggressive and disproportionate cyberbullying” he claims to be experiencing after its release.
When is the 2026 Three Kings Parade scheduled in Seville?
As tradition dictates, on Monday, January 5, 2026, the streets of Seville will be filled with magic and wonder with the highly anticipated Three Kings Parade.
Can you stay in a luxury apartment to attend the Three Kings Parade in Seville?
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