A drag queen is to take part in an Epiphany parade in Madrid tomorrow, sparking furious protests from conservatives who have said it is 'distorting' the event.

La Prohibida ('The Forbidden') will feature on one of the floats at the event in the Puente de Vallecas district. It is one of 17 Epiphany events in the capital of Spain, where the date is a major festival and more popular than Christmas – particularly for children, who write letters to the Magi asking for gifts.

However, following a tweet by La Prohibida saying she would take part wearing teddy pyjamas, a Madrid spokesman for Spain's conservative Popular party said Epiphany, or the 'Day of Kings', 'should be respected, just as we would respect any festival of any religion'. José Luis Martínez-Almeida accused her of 'distorting Christmas'.

Begoña Villacís, a Madrid councillor for the centre-right Ciudadanos party, tweeted: 'Sometimes, a Cavalcade of Kings must simply be what the children expect it to be – a Cavalcade of Kings.'

La Prohibida is taking part in the main procession after an alternative gay parade was vetoed by the town council. Her 'Three Queens' float will not replace the official Three Kings version.

She pointed out on Twitter that non-traditional costumes were common, tweeting a picture of a Darth Vader participant and saying: 'Some protest why they think that my participation in a children's party denatures the tradition. But nobody protested when...'