Text size:

2 million turn out for Puerto Rican Day Parade

BY PERVAIZ SHALLWANI | Special to Newsday

June 9, 2008

People cheer along Fifth Avenue at the 51st Annual Puerto Rican Day Parade in Manhattan. (Newsday Photo/Julia Gaines / June 8, 2008)

Just being a spectator at the annual National Puerto Rican Day Parade was not enough for 52-year-old Jose Bonet.

After all, it had been nearly 40 years since he had been to one. When he was 13, his parents moved him to the island and he only recently returned.

But Sunday, despite not having the required parade credentials, Bonet, a bus driver who lives in Pleasantville, N.J., found his way onto the parade route -- marching and reliving the memories of his childhood as he waved the Puerto Rican flag and hollered to energize the crowd along Fifth Avenue from 44th Street to 86th Street.

"I don't how, but I did it," Bonet said of his participation in the parade. "I had to do it. It's been 40 years."

An estimated 2 million people braved the hottest day to date this year -- the high in Manhattan reached 93 -- to be part of the 51st annual celebration. T

he morning shade that offered a reprieve from the humid heat gave way as the sun took up its overhead position. Marching with Mayor Michael Bloomberg, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine sweated through his white button-down shirt and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo wiped his brow often with a handkerchief.

Participants sported their pride in colorful ways -- from painting their faces to waving the striped flag bearing a lone star. Spectators came prepared with coolers filled with beverages, food, umbrellas, hand-held fans and spray bottles to get some reprieve from the sun, which sat directly overhead by midday as the parade was just reaching its peak.

Ariel Rodriguez, 40, of Newark, got up at 5 a.m. to make sure his wife, four children and 10 grandchildren had a front-row spot. "We are proud of our country," said Rodriguez, wearing a basketball jersey emblazoned with the country's flag. "We love Puerto Rico."

Their navy blue dress uniforms didn't keep city department of corrections officers Richie Cardona, 45, and Alex Parrilla, 34, both of the Bronx, from letting loose. They stopped along the route to dance with the crowd, Cardona shaking maracas while Parrilla beat on a cow bell.

Staff writer Steve Ritea contributed to this report.