The 66th annual Puerto Rican Day Parade returned to Midtown on Sunday through thousands of fluttering flags and echoing calls of “wepa!”
Parade revelers could be heard screaming “Viva Puerto Rico” and “La Bonita Bandera” with cultural pride all along Fifth Avenue. Some draped the flag over their bodies, while others held toy coquis (a tiny frog named after its loud mating call).
“That’s my people right there,” one woman exclaimed, clapping her hand to her chest with pure Puerto Rican pride.
Hundreds of floats joined in on the fun, kicking off from 44th Street, blasting musical favorites by Bad Bunny, Marc Anthony and El Grand Combo de Puerto Rico, while plumes of red, white and blue confetti flew through the air.
Music, Culture, and Joy served as this year’s theme, which honored the trailblazers who’ve made a cultural footprint on the United States. Honorees included Grand Marshall Giselle Blondet, 2023 Queen Justina Machado, and more. Mayor Eric Adams, Governor Kathy Hochul, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell, FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh, and a slew of City Council members also marched under the scorching sun.
The parade route ended at 79th Street and Fifth Avenue.
