58th National Puerto Rican Parade Marches Up Fifth Avenue
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Hundreds of thousands of people lined Fifth Avenue on Sunday to express their Puerto Rican pride.
About 20,000 marchers participated in the 58th annual National Puerto Rican Day Parade, which headed up Fifth Avenue from 44th to 79th streets.
The annual parade is a showcase of Puerto Rican pride -- music, dancing, singing and Puerto Rican flags everywhere.
58th National Puerto Rican Parade Marches Up Fifth Avenue
Some people staked out their spots several hours in advance.
"It's a wonderful day for all New Yorkers, all Puerto Ricans," one paradegoer told WCBS 880's Jim Smith.
"It's the pride," another woman said. "If you're not on the island, this is the place to be today for all Puerto Ricans."
58th National Puerto Rican Parade Marches Up Fifth Avenue
"This is a beautiful celebration, beautiful people, beautiful music," one man told 1010 WINS' Roger Stern.
The parade was led Puerto Rican Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla, who was followed by New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, a Puerto Rico native.
Roman Catholic Cardinal Timothy Dolan sported a straw hat over his red skullcap to greet marchers in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral.
The cardinal shouted out "Hallelujah! Bienvenidos a todos," which means "welcome to all." He gave out blessings to the mostly Catholic crowd.
He then did a little dance with Puerto Rican-born entertainer Rita Moreno after she stepped out of her convertible.
Moreno -- an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony award winner -- served as grand marshal.
The celebration included marching bands, beauty queens, floats, cars and even politicians.
Mayor Bill de Blasio worked the crowd from sideline to sideline. He said he couldn't imagine New York without the contributions of its Puerto Rican citizens.
"This is a community that over the last century has been one of the foundations of this city," de Blasio said.
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