Santa Cruz Three Wise Men Tickets Spark Rush

The countdown, "5, 4, 3, 2, 1...", kicked off an exciting morning in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. At 9 AM, a temporary ticket booth opened at the Quico Cabrera Sports Pavilion. People eagerly started buying tickets for the Three Wise Men welcome show, scheduled for the afternoon of January 5th at the Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium.

For many, however, the wait began much earlier. María Alayón, from the La Cuesta de Piedra neighborhood, had been first in line since noon on Sunday, December 28th. This is a yearly tradition for her: always being the first to buy tickets for the city's big events. She used to be first for the Three Wise Men's arrival and for Carnival competitions, a habit she says she lost once online ticket sales became common.

This year, most tickets were sold online, with only about 2,000 set aside for in-person sales. Despite this, María felt it was important to keep her tradition alive. She waited over 20 hours – up to 21 – to buy six tickets, the maximum allowed per person, for her close family and friends. Her sister, Carmen Delia Alayón, and friend, Milagros García, waited with her, all hoping to get tickets for their children, grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.

The main queue started forming about 90 minutes later and quickly grew. By the time the ticket booth opened, over 1,000 people were waiting near the pavilion. This showed just how much excitement there was for one of the city's most popular Christmas events.

The long wait brought out both friendly moments and some tension. On the positive side, those who waited overnight received a thoughtful visit and were given churros. "Though they forgot the chocolate or some water so we wouldn't get parched," joked a young woman who was also following María Alayón's lead.

However, some people were upset. They reported unfair situations where tickets they believed were reserved were taken without respecting the queue order, even after they had waited for hours since dawn.

Meanwhile, the show's organizers are busy with the final preparations. Paula Álvarez is directing, and Yeray Piñero is handling artistic production. The artistic and technical teams are putting the finishing touches on a show designed to delight and surprise families filling the stadium on the eve of Three Kings' Day.

Ticket sales started at 9 AM and will continue until all seats are gone. The Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council, through Fiestas de Santa Cruz, released just over 18,000 tickets. Each ticket costs two euros, and people can buy a maximum of six. Tickets are available online at tickety.es, and 2,000 are sold in person at the Quico Cabrera Sports Pavilion. At the pavilion, only card payments are accepted; no cash.

The number of available seats was set according to a special security plan for the event. This ensures the smooth running of a show that brings thousands of families together every year. Also, as in past years, all money from ticket sales will go to children's charities.

With the last tickets still up for grabs, Santa Cruz is in its own countdown. As some head home with their tickets and others stay glued to their screens or the ticket booth, a collective whisper repeats: "5, 4, 3, 2, 1… the Kings are coming."