Illustration by Nuestro Stories.
Nothing celebrates la cultura the way New York does every year during the National Puerto Rican Day Parade (NPRDP), the largest demonstration of cultural pride honoring the million Puerto Ricans who live in the United States.
It was back in 1958, when the first boricua parade was celebrated in Spanish Harlem “El Barrio,” on Sunday, April 13. After that, the event moved to the Manhattan area along Fifth Avenue.
First known as Desfile Puertorriqueño Inc., the organization was born out of the necessity to highlight the contributions and achievements of the Puerto Rican community. In 1995, the NPRDP was officially founded, following its predecessor, the New York Puerto Rican Day Parade, with a new structure and a broader vision.
Read more: The History of Puerto Rico’s Parranda
The Impact of the Puerto Rican Day Parade
Since then, boricua celebrities like Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Ivy Queen, and Daddy Yankee, among other Puerto Rican royalty, have been part of the yearly Latino celebration in The Big Apple.
Today, aside from being a vibrant testament to the rich Puerto Rican heritage, the NPRDP also promotes culture, arts, and education through events and programs that go from granting scholarships to Puerto Rican students to raising awareness on the issues this community faces.
During the 66th National Puerto Rican Day Parade, New York City Mayor Eric Adams told television station CBS that he considers NYC as the “San Juan of America” as “it is where everything comes together.”
Other events and programs the NPRDP hosts are the Street Cultural Festival, the Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the NPRDP Gala/Fundraiser, the Annual Chi Chi Rodriguez Golf Outing, and the NPRDP Scholarship Program.
You can catch this event every second Sunday in June and join the thousands of puertorriqueños — and other Latinos — that get together to celebrate the traditions, culture, dance, and music that La Isla del Encanto has to offer.
