By Amanda Moses
Thousands of New Yorkers lined Fifth Avenue in Manhattan for the 66th Annual Puerto Rican Day Parade celebration on June 11th.
The scene in Midtown Manhattan was vibrant and loud on Sunday, where the reverberating beats of Latin music and the echoing screams of attendees shouting, “Boricua” and “Vivir Puerto Rico” among a sea of Puerto Rican Flags could be seen and heard for over 35 blocks.
Starting on 44th Street and Fifth Avenue, parade goers, participants, and even police officers danced to the song, “Brujeria” by El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico while others hopped onto their bouncing floats as they swayed their hips to Bad Bunny’s “Despues de la Playa.” In its entirety, the parade was a festive affair where everyone was dancing in the streets.
This year’s parade theme was “Música, Cultura y Alegría,” which means “Music, Culture and Joy” in Spanish. The coordinators of the parade highlighted the significant cultural imprint musicians, artists, and other creators have made throughout history. This includes the 2023 honorees, who were: Grand Marshall Giselle Blondet, Madrina Judy Torres, Padrino Ismael Cruz Cordova and Queen Justina Machado.
Additionally, the parade joined with actor, composer, singer and writer, Lin-Manuel Miranda to create the National Puerto Rican Day Scholarship Fund TeeRico t-shirt (the proceeds are being used to fund the scholarship).
The parade was held from 11 am to about 5 pm, concluding on 79th Street and Fifth Avenue.
Photos by Amanda Moses
