NEW YORK — New York City’s National Puerto Rican Day Parade returns to Manhattan on Sunday.
The parade marches along Fifth Avenue from 44th Street to 79th Street. This departs at 11:00 am
The celebration of Puerto Rican culture has been taking place in Manhattan for more than 60 years.
Iconic salsa singer Tito Nieves named Grand Marshal of the Puerto Rican Day Parade
This year’s grand marshal is iconic salsa singer Tito Nieves.
“What makes this parade special is that all the Latinos on the day are supporting the Puerto Rican community,” Nieves told CBS New York’s Zinnia Maldonado.
Nieves was born in Puerto Rico but grew up in Brooklyn, where he found his passion for salsa and became one of the leading salsa singers of the 1980s and 1990s.
“When you go into a neighborhood where they play salsa music, you get a sense of comfort,” Nieves said.
Nieves has been performing in the parade for years, but calls it an honor to be grand marshal this time.
“I said, wow, why would they… grand marshal? That’s a big responsibility, but why not? I’m a New Yorker,” he said.
This year’s theme is ‘Boricua de Corazon’, which means you don’t have to live or be born on the island to be Puertorriqueno.
“Puerto Rican, it’s in me. Puerto Rican is in my blood,” Nieves said.
New Yorkers on the Lower East Side, known for its thriving center of Latin culture, agree.
“Puerto Ricans can live in any state in the U.S. or anywhere in the world, and they still strongly identify as Puerto Rican,” Jasmine Maldonado said.
“Puerto Ricans are a very beautiful race and everywhere they go they bring the culture,” said Luis Rivera.
Street closures of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York
The following streets are closed on Sunday:
- West/East 44th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- West/East 45th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- West/East 46th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- West/East 47th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- West/East 48th Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- 5th Avenue between 42nd Street and 79th Street
- 5th Avenue between 79th Street and 86th Street
- East 79th Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
- East 80th Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
- East 81st Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
- East 82nd Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
- East 83rd Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
- East 84th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- East 85th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- Madison Avenue between East 42nd Street and East 86th Street
- 6th Avenue between West 42nd Street and West 49th Street
- West/East 43rd Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- West/East 42nd Street between 6th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- West 51st Street between Rockefeller Plaza and 5th Avenue
- West 58th Street between Grand Army Plaza and 5th Avenue
- East 60th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- East 63rd Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- East 64th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- East 66th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- East 69th Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
- East 70th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
- East 72nd Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue
- East 74th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue
