Meriden celebrates Three Kings Day
MERIDEN — Those passing by the Meriden Public Library Sunday afternoon undoubtedly did a double take as Charlie, Sergeant and Joe made their way down Miller Street.
The camels, from Commerford Zoo in Goshen, were part of the city’s annual Three Kings Day procession and celebration at the library. The event featured traditional Spanish music, gifts for children, refreshments and, of course, camel rides.
Three Kings Day is a cultural variation of the Feast of the Epiphany, a traditional Christian celebration of the revelation that God became human in Jesus. In western Christianity, this moment is associated with the three Magi paying homage to Jesus as a baby and is called El Dia de los Reyes in the Latin American countries where it is especially popular.
The holiday is customarily celebrated on Jan. 6, but was observed Sunday so it didn’t conflict with school.
City resident Delores Ramirez brought her children, Nayeli, Esmeralda and Ricardo, to the celebration, which she said reminded her of her childhood in Mexico.
“It’s something that we celebrate and a tradition that we bring from Mexico,” she said. “It’s important that we get the chance to celebrate our culture in Meriden.”
The celebration, which was sponsored by the Carrero family, the library, Casa Boricua de Meriden and the city of Meriden, started with the procession of the Three Kings and included music from the Cardona family, which led elected officials, including City Councilors Miguel Castro and Cathy Battista and U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty, in singing “Feliz Navidad.”
“It has become a family affair,” Castro said. “We are keeping this tradition moving forward.”
City Manager Guy Scaife stopped by with members of his family.
“This is very special,” he told the crowd. “I had no idea what to expect. It certainly is great to see such a big turnout. Those who put the effort in certainly do a lot for the city.”
Three Kings Day has been celebrated in Meriden for decades. The Carrero family, led by Genaro and Aida, has organized the annual celebration for about 30 years, taking over when St. Rose of Lima Church ended its own festivities. Their son, Jerry, is now in charge.
“This is a good tradition for us,” Genaro said. “It’s something that is inside our hearts.”
The library began hosting the event last year, opening the building on a Sunday just for the special celebration.
“We feel, as a library, that we need to serve all of the community,” said Alexis Burgess, community services director for the library. “There is a large Hispanic community in town. I love it. It’s just wonderful to get all the people together. There is happiness and joy and a celebration of culture.”
Battista, who coordinated Three Kings Day celebrations for the school system and the Meriden Senior Center in the past, joined forces with the Carreros for the first time last year. She helped secure the camels.
“I guess you can say the camels brought us together,” she said with a laugh. “I think the camels help draw more people to the celebration, whether they are Hispanic or not. That’s the goal. This is a really important holiday. This is our community.”