Posted on 10/14/2013 8:10:30 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Midtown became a sea of red, white and green Monday as the 69th annual Columbus Day Parade made its way up Fifth Avenue.
The world's largest celebration of Italian-American pride stretched from 47th Street up to 72nd Street.
More than 35,000 marchers took part in the parade, among them Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Governor Andrew Cuomo and both candidates for mayor, Democrat Bill De Blasio and Republican Joseph Lhota.
Noticeably absent, though, was the West Point Marching Band, which had to cancel due to the ongoing government shutdown.
Philanthropist Joseph Perella served as grand marshal.
"It's a very, very proud day. I wish my parents could be here, but they're here in spirit," Perella said.
"We come every year. This is our celebration of culture, our heritage and we couldn't be happier to be anywhere else but here," said one parade goer.
Making its first appearance in the parade was the Born Brave Bus from the Born This Way Foundation, established by pop star and native New Yorker Lady Gaga and her mother, Cynthia, to combat bullying and more.
"To help youth better handle their struggles through empowering them with skills and opportunities and you know ultimately we would like to inspire them to help us create a kinder and a gentler society," said Cynthia Germanotta.
The Columbus Citizens Foundation has run the annual Columbus Day parade since 1929.
Monday's parade was the culmination of a weekend of events.
On Sunday, a wreath-laying ceremony at Columbus Circle continued a tradition which dates back to the 1920s.
It's the time when the city's Italian-Americans celebrate their role in New York history, and a legacy of civil service.
Italian-Americans in the Bronx also came together to celebrate their heritage in the borough's annual parade.
Organizers say it celebrates the Bronx's rich diversity.
They say it's not only about the voyage of Columbus in 1492, but the journey others took to America as well.
I am amazed that these people are allowed to feel pride. I would have thought the government would have made that illegal by now. They probably will make it illegal later.
I heard the mayor-apparent took the opportunity to bash Columbus.
Is that a bad thing? The history books gloss over his butchery. It wasn’t all gumdrops and unicorns.
These are just random days off for parasites.I love spaghetti cut we don”t need a holiday for Italians. It never ends. There are 198 counties in the UN. We could drop to a lousy 50 days a year of banking. I hate this and come the revolution, we will stop this and mlk day like a train wreck.We are pressing on. Go VETS!!
We were in San Francisco yesterday and the city was almost total grid lock due to the celebration. Chinatown was on the verge of selling pasta instead of noodles. People were truly warm and friendly. Golden Gate was clear as a bell but Alcatraz was closed( funny though, San Quentin was alive and .......)
Columbus Day started in 1906 and most people don’t even have the day off. No banks I know of had the day off.
You are right. The U.S. is an evil country and the only way to atone is to embrace communism.
I thought that only rainbow-wearing Sodomites could have "pride".
Organizers say it celebrates the Bronx's rich diversity. They say it's not only about the voyage of Columbus in 1492, but the journey others took to America as well.
Didn't you see? "Making its first appearance in the parade was the Born Brave Bus from the Born This Way Foundation, established by pop star and native New Yorker Lady Gaga and her mother, Cynthia, to combat bullying and more."
Isn't that special? You know what "combat bullying" is code for: "we will bully the hell out of anyone who refuses to celebrate our perversion."
Like I always say, if Columbus had not “sailed the ocean blue” the New World would still have been found a few years later when the Portugese were sailing to India and ran into Brazil.
I used to have a book on Columbus with a description on how they saved some captive pregnant Awark women from the Carib (cannibal) Indians who liked cooked new born babies.
It used to be fun to walk in the Colubus Day parade in Denver back in the 90’s. Russell Means would be there with his braves to holler and throw horse manure in front of us.
We would smile and wave.
Sometimes they would sit in the parade route and get arrested. They seemed to like that. They got arrested, we walked, everyone was happy.
Good times.
But if Columbus had waited a year that would have worked too, since it would rhyme with “boundless sea”.
As for da holiday, Dominic & Vito an’ the other goombahs, we don’t like youse dissing our guy, know what I mean?
Hey! I’m talkin’ to you, paisan!
;^)
Too bad “your guy” was 500 years late for the party. This should be Vikings Day.
Well, OK...... Leif Ericson & Vinland, got that. But the Vikings tired of being raided by “Skraelings” (their term for war-whoopin’ Injuns) so they left.
It was Columbus’ crowd that stayed.
Yes, because we all know the peaceful, noble savage (sarc) was the victim of the evil marauding white man.
You have an interesting posting history indeed. I didn't know I should be mocking male Freepers' "manliness" for not liking mens' purses.
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