On the evening before 6th January - Dia de Reyes - the Three Kings arrive, spendidly dressed, to parade through town centres across Spain. At Zamora (in the Castilla y Leon region, central Spain), they rode on horse back, followed by a retinue of costume clad characters, also riding on horseback. The procession continued with floats drawn by tractors, joined by a host of characters on foot. For the tourists, the spectacle was magical, and for the children (as well as some adults), part of the excitement came from collecting the sweets thrown by the procession.
Children gathered outside the town hall before 7.30 p.m., eagerly awaiting the event to start. Children in Spain take a centre place in family life; they are often seen at restaurants as late as 10 p.m. taking dinner with their parents. 
Characters riding on horseback, parading through Zamora town centre. The frenzy of sweet throwing had just begun, and the buzz and excitement was palpable.
The procession seemed endless - they lasted a good hour. There were Mary and Joseph, of course, a gold Buddha, a Sphinx, and countless other characters on parade. The evening culminated in a gathering at the town hall plaza, where the Mayor, dressed as one of the Three Kings, addressed his town folk and wished them presumably all sorts of good things.
It had to be good things because the little boy who was riding on the shoulder politely applauded at all the right moments.
It had to be good things because the little boy who was riding on the shoulder politely applauded at all the right moments.