Puerto Rican Day Parade
puerto rican day parade also known national puerto rican day parade take place annually united state along fifth avenue manhattan borough new york city parade held second sunday june honor million inhabitant puerto rico people puerto rican birth heritage residing u mainland parade attracts many celebrity puerto rican puerto rican heritage many politician tristate area latino heritage parade take place iconic th avenue oldest longest running latino heritage parade city parade march along fifth avenue th street th street grown become one largest parade united state nearly four million spectator annually although largest puerto rican cultural parade new york city city large puerto rican population philadelphia chicago boston also notable puerto rican parade festival first puerto rican day parade held sunday april manhattan replacing former hispanic day parade move part mission catholic archdiocese new york esp cardinal spellman ivan illich represented shift away earlier attempt yankeefication toward culturally specific expression based traditional fiesta patronales parade became incorporated national puerto rican day parade expanded beyond parade venue parade host seven major event throughout city dozen event also take place weekend parade sponsored national parade corporation one longest running street fair held one day prior parade though size changed year heart parade always th street lexington second avenue addition parade new york city currently fifty smaller parade take place throughout united state parade attracted many new york politician including mayor michael bloomberg former mayor rudy giuliani governor andrew cuomo senator charles schumer well many political candidate running office looking voter local state national election recent year parade honored several puerto rican celebrity naming international grand marshal parade including singer marc anthony participated parade along exwife jennifer lopez ricky martin organizer selected internationally recognized telenovela actor osvaldo ríos parade special guest star addition national grand marshal variety honoree named parade title king national ambassador la salsa national godmother june puerto rican rapper ivy queen designated puerto rico youth godmother parade others given title include wisin yandel willie colón parade featured episode nbc television sitcom seinfeld entitled puerto rican day jerry seinfeld george costanza elaine benes cosmo kramer get stuck traffic jam result parade due controversy relating scene kramer accidentally burn stomp puerto rican flag chased mob angry puerto ricans nbc refused air episode episode also withheld syndication result shown sparingly syndicated repeat since released dvd along sitcom episode part series streaming package parade portrayed negative aspect following controversial parade episode longrunning nbc crime series law order titled sunday park jorge national puerto rican coalition protested episode network executive issued apology company also made pledge improve procedure regarding sensitive programming issue latin american literary classic empire dream giannina braschi staged revolution puerto rican day parade parade referenced tru tv show impractical joker within multiple episode satirically introduced joke castmember sal vulcanos heritage cuban often mistaken mexican puerto rican june controversy arose organizer selected telenovela actor osvaldo ríos served three month puerto rican prison assaulting former girlfriend domesticviolence incident parade international godfather many confirmed participant u representative luis guiterrez corporate sponsor verizon withdrew participation endorsement due controversial past mounting pressure medium politician public official domestic violence organization rio decided attend parade discussing matter child u congresswoman nydia velasquez replaced last minute singer marc anthony accompanied wife jennifer lopez past interview actor comedian john leguizamo always claimed puerto rican ancestry via father side one reason selected puerto rican day parade global ambassador art june leguizamos father albert declared interview published el diario la prensa largest spanishlanguage newspaper new york puerto rican rather colombian ancestry contradicted son past claim puerto rican ancestry response father allegation leguizamo stated interview grandfather puerto rican descent spokesman national puerto rican day parade stated despite shifting ancestry leguizamo would stripped ambassadorship would allowed participate june parade theme parade strong historical focus year mark th anniversary death pedro albizu campos spent year prison dedicated life independence puerto rico organizer parade chose honor oscar lópez rivera considered terrorist freedom fighter others result lópez rivera selected parade sponsor goya food jetblue cocacola att new york yankee dropped sponsorship new york city police department hispanic society march well nypds gay officer action league nypd police commissioner james oneill artist puerto rican salsa singer willie colón criticized parade organizer gone far others sixtime grammy awardwinning puerto rican salsa singer gilberto santa rosa chose participate despite controversy th parade celebrated june new york city mayor bill de blasio also participated greeting attendee shaking hand public corporate backlash mayor de blasio announced lópez rivera would honored parade end puerto rican activist honored kicked parade celebration lópez rivera said wished keep focus puerto rico rather following parade june number woman harassed robbed sexually assaulted mob young men central park attack videotaped onlooker led arrest prosecution many involved manuel vargas suspected ringleader quoted press saying fun presence gang latin king blood crips recorded event nuyorican puerto ricans new york city nprdpincorg official website national puerto rican day parade inc