The 67th annual Puerto Rican Day Parade took to Fifth Avenue on Sunday afternoon in grand style, with more than 170 groups and 70 floats of marchers celebrating all things Puerto Rican.
The festivities kicked off at around 11 a.m. on June 9 from the corner of Fifth Avenue and 44th Street, and headed uptown to 79th Street. Dancers, music and a sea of Puerto Rican red, white and blue flags filled the festivities, which were themed “Boricua de Corazón,” which translates to “Puerto Rican in your heart.”
A bevy of elected officials participated in the march, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, who days earlier drew controversy around the city for her decision to pull the plug on congestion pricing; she marched with the nonprofit group Somos. Meanwhile, Mayor Eric Adams marched with his own contingent, and admired the spirit and energy from the crowd of revelers.
” Look at the energy, the spirit and I’m just really happy for my entire team that is reflective of our city, the large Puerto Rican contingent. We’re here in leadership positions. We are really excited about this parade,” Mayor Adams said. “This is one of the most exciting parades. The energy of the Puerto Rican community over 700,000 strong in the city, they help make the city what it is.”
Salsa singer Tito Nieves served as the parade’s grand marshal, while hip-hop star Lisa Lisa was the 2024 Madrina. Other parade honorees included Yankees pitcher Marcus Stroman, boxer Xander Zayas and LGBTQ+ activist Victoria Cruz.
