The annual Three Kings’ Day parade celebrated its 27th year in Williamsburg on Sunday with music, dancing and gift giving. The parade began at 2pm and stretched from Meeker Ave to Flushing Ave along Graham Avenue.
The parade was postponed a week due to rainstorms last weekend. Though temperatures were low, onlookers still came out to celebrate the tradition. Three Kings’ Day, formerly known as Epiphany, is a Christian holiday which commemorates the visit of the of Magi, or “three kings”, to Jesus at his birth. The holiday is widely celebrated across Latin America, and is considered a celebration of Latin American pride in the U.S.
Guest of honor at the parade was salsa recording artist Ray Sepulveda. North Brooklyn Community Affairs Detective Deputy Kenneth J. Melendez was the official “Godfather” of the parade, while Assistant Chief Scott Henderson of Patrol Borough Brooklyn North was the parade’s Grand Marshall.
“Three Kings’ is all about heritage, it’s about the culture, it’s about having a good time in the community,” said Melendez.
Each year, the parade features float with three people dressed to represent the three kings. After the parade, the three kinds distribute free gifts to all children in attendance.
The parade’s Grand Marshall announced that permits for next year’s parade have already been approved.
