Manhattan Parades - Manhattan NYC
Our Coverage & Photos of Manhattan Parades In NYC Neighborhoods
March 15, 2024 / Manhattan Parades / Manhattan Buzz NYC.
The following section is about the many Manhattan parades that happen throughout the year. They represent the great mix of cultures that have come to America and settled in the NYC metro area.
Click here to view our section about Manhattan parades in NYC, including photo slide shows and links to photo albums of Manhattan Parades.
manhattan parades nyc manhattan parades nyc
Editor's Note. Eventually we will put these in chronological order.
Manhattan Parades & Festivals - Cultural Festivals and Parades in Manhattan Harlem UES UWS Midtown East Village West Village Tribeca Chelsea LES Soho Tribeca Fidi Downtown Manhattan NYC
Manhattan Parades NYC 2024
Schedule of Parades and Cultural Festivals in Manhattan NYC
October 10, 2024 / Manhattan Neighborhoods / Manhattan Parades / Manhattan Buzz NYC
This report provides a schedule of the parades held in Manhattan each year. We update each parade / festival as we approach the event date. Pay attention to the dates and ONLY asterisked events have been updated to 2024. Pay attention to the dates / year.
The parades include the Manhattan Three Kings Day Parade in January, Manhattan Chinese New Year celebrations in February, the St. Patrick's Day Parade in March, Easter Bonnet Parade, the Manhattan Tartan Day Parade, Greek Independence Day Parade and Persian Parade in April, the Sikh Day Parade, Japan Parade, the Dance Parade, Asian American Pacific Islander Parade, Fleet Week and Manhattan Memorial Day Parade in May, the Indian Parade, Manhattan Puerto Rican Day Parade, Israel Parade, Romania Festival, Pride Parade and Philippine Parade in June, the Manhattan Dominican, the Indian and Cuba American Day Parades and Bastille Day Celebration in July, the Labor Day Parade, San Gennaro Festival, Steuben Day Parade, African American Day Parade, Mexican Parade and Climate March in September, the Manhattan Columbus Day, Halloween, Nigerian, Hispanic Day, Pulaski and Indigenous Peoples Day Parades in October and the NYC Marathon and Manhattan Veterans Day Parade in November. And actually quite a bit more - scroll down to see for yourself.
At the end of this report there are links to the parades and festivals in the other four boroughs of NYC.
CLICK here to view our report on Manhattan Parades NYC - Parades and Cultural Festivals in Manhattan NYC.
The San Gennaro Festival in The Little Italy Neighborhood of Manhattan NYC
Feast of San Gennaro & Parade in Little Italy Manhattan NYC
Manhattan's Signature Italian Festival Celebrates Little Italy in NYC
September 8, 2024 vs 9.13.23 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.
CLICK here to find many of the details regarding the dates / times / location of the Feast of San Gennaro & Parade in Manhattan NYC, as well as the url to the parade organizers, which is located in our Parades & Festivals section.
Fall is just around the corner, which means the San Gennaro Festival is about to begin in Little Italy in Manhattan. See the front page or the parades & festivals page or click into the story for details of the San Gennaro Festival of 2023.
A Very Brief History of Little Italy Manhattan NYC
Little Italy is just north of Canal street, across from Chinatown, which lies to its south. SoHo lies to its west, across Lafayette Street. While the Bowery is just east of it along Mott and Bowery Streets, and Nolita [North of Little Italy] lies to the north of it, across Broome Street. This is something of a downsized area from the original Little Italy of a century ago.
Little Italy was an important destination for Italians arriving in New York City in the late 1800's and early 20th century. It was generally a poor, working class neighborhood at that time, filled with laborers, and shopkeepers who traded food, wine and clothing. And the community was fairly self-sufficient with its own doctors, lawyers and bankers accoding to a Wikipedia account of an NYT story in 1896.
Little Italy's size and population peaked in the early 20th century, at about 10,000, as Italians left for greener pastures in other parts of the city, including East Harlem, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island. Nonetheless, Little Italy remains somewhat intact, as a very popular tourist destination, the peak of which is celebrated in tandem with the San Gennaro Festival.
- CLICK here to read the rest of our report about the Feeast of San Gennaro & Parade in Little Italy Manhattan NYC.
Feast of San Gennaro & the Italian American Museum in Little Italy Manhattan NYC
San Gennaro Festival in Little Italy
September 18, 2019 / Things To Do Manhattan / Manhattan Neighborhoods NYC / Manhattan Buzz NYC.
The San Gennaro Festival began last Thursday along Mulberry Street in the Little Italy neighborhood of Manhattan. The festivities run for eleven days and included a parade which was held last Saturday, a number of eating contests - one of which is this afternoon - as well as live entertainment, food galore and shopping.
The San Gennaro Festival began 93 years ago, in 1926, when the community was comprised primarily of Italians from the Naples area. San Gennaro is the anglicized name of the patron saint of Naples, St. Januarius.
The locus of the San Gennaro Festival is along Mulberry Street between Canal and Houston, with the main stage at Grand and Mott Streets. The Roman Catholic parish church of Our Most Precious Blood Church represents the 'soul' of the festival, as it was completed in 1904 and still stands today. There was a lot behind the church, the Rectory at 109 Mulberry Street, where they had hosted parts of the San Gennaro Festival in prior years, but it was put on the market in 2018 for $14 million. The photo below right shows the Most Precious Blood Rectory on Mulberry Street in 2014.
- CLICK here to read the rest of our report on the Feast of San Gennaro & the Italian Museum in Little Italy.
Korea Day Parade in Manhattan
Korea Day Parade Celebrates Korean Culture with Festival
October 21, 2019 / Things To Do Manhattan / Manhattan Neighborhoods NYC / Manhattan Buzz NYC. On Saturday, Octoberr 5th, the Korea Day Parade and Festival was held in Midtown Manhattan. The whole affair which lasts the better part of the day, celebrates Korean culture by Korean immigrants and their children, grandchildren and great grand children. In addition to the theatrical music and dance performed in the parade, there's a live stage at the festival where folks also perform.
In additon to the music and dance there's a whole host of food, opportunities to shop authentic Korean food, clothing and other goods, and a chance to mingle with our fellow countrymen and women of Korean descent. The following video should give you a taste of the Korean Day Parade and Festival in Midtown. The event occurs in a section of Manhattan that was once a center of Korean culture - and while still there to an extent - like many immigrant clusters, many of the Koreans and their descendants have moved to the outer boroughs and beyond.
The NYC Puerto Rican Parade
A Plethora Panoply of Puerto Rican Talent
June 11, 2019 / Things To Do Manhattan / Manhattan Neighborhoods NYC / Manhattan Buzz NYC.
Last year I attended the 62nd Puerto Rican Day Parade, which returned for its 63rd year last Sunday. The Puerto Rican Day Parade is one of the largest parades and cultural celebrations in NYC, and outside of Puerto Rico, the largest celebration of Puerto Rican culture.
This year the Puerto Rican Day Parade Grand Marshall was Ricky Martin of La Bomba [1998 hit single] fame. Also appearing / performing were Jose Feliciano, who came out with the hit single Felice Navidad [1970] as well as Afro-Cuban jazz musician Bobby Sanabria and actress La India who starred in the film La Madrina [The Godmother] in 2008.
But the celebrities featured in the parade - which is comprised of over ten thousand marchers, musicians and performers - are only a few of the stars. The platoon of performers provides an endless array of entertainment by a very liberated people. I hope to have a bit more on this later today / this week - but if not there will be more to come eventually.
India Parade & Sri Jagannath Ratha Yatra Festival
Indian Parade & Festival Returns to Midtown & Village NYC
June 4, 2019 / Manhattan Neighborhoods NYC / Cultural Events Manhattan NYC / Manhattan Buzz NYC.
This Saturday, June 8th from 11 am to 7 pm the Festival of India Parade begins and is followed by the Sri Jagannath Ratha Yatra Festival. The parade starts at 45th St & 5th Avenue at 11 am and it ends in Washington Square Park where the Sri Jagannath Festival is held.
This is part of a weekend long celebration of Krishna that spans Brooklyn and Manhattan, involving hundreds, if not thousands of celebrants participating in the parade and festival after.
I'll have more on this Hari Krishna event later today / this week. In the meantime is a short one minute video of the parade last year [2018].
The Dancing Keeps on at the Dance Parade
13th Annual Dance Parade - An Aesthetic & Cultural Visual Delight
May 24, 2019 / Things To Do Manhattan / Manhattan Neighborhoods NYC / Manhattan Buzz NYC.
A week ago, on Saturday, May 18th, I attended the 13th annual Dance Parade. The parade reportedly features ten thousand dancers, musicians and DJ's during the two hour [turned out to be easily twice as long] parade.
I had attended the parade perhaps a half dozen years ago, essentially it's half life to date and it has grown enormously both in the number of performers and performances as well as the size of the crowd.
But quantity isn't everything, and the quality had grown or expanded as well. It was, in a few words, an aesthetic and cultural visual delight.
I and one of the Manhattan Buzz freelance photographers / videographers captured some of the festivities on video, which I hope to share with you by the end of today.
Story and photo by Michael Wood.
The Puerto Rican Parade NYC
Tens of Thousands of Puerto Ricans Celebrate Their Culture
June 11, 2018 / Upper East Side Neighborhood / Harlem Neighborhood / Manhattan Parades NYC / Manhattan Buzz NYC.
Puerto Rican Street Fair Spanish Harlem
One thing you could never accuse New York Puerto Ricans of, is a lack of pride in their cultural roots. On Saturday there was a huge street fair in Spanish Harlem, lasting most of the day, along a nearly 20 block stretch of Third Avenue between 103rd and 122nd streets in east Harlem.
East Harlem used to be the destination for Puerto Ricans coming to New York. And while there's still a large Puerto Rican community there, I think there may be an even larger community in the central Bronx whose Borough President is Ruben Diaz, whose father, NYC City Councilmember Ruben Diaz, Sr. came from Bayamon, Puerto Rico. So while some of the population may have moved, Puerto Ricans came from around the city and far beyond, to congregate on Saturday and Sunday, and the bask in the atmosphere of their cultural roots.
Puerto Rican Parade on the Upper East Side Manhattan
There was food, shopping, music, entertainment and dancing at the street fair on Saturday, and minus the food and shopping, the music, dancing and entertainment were also on display at the huge Puerto Rican parade in Manhattan on Sunday. Numerous floats as well as marching groups of dancers and musicians and social groups joined together to make the parade one long display of Puerto Rica's eclectic mix of African, Latin and American cultures.
American Puerto Ricans call themselves Boricuas and everything else is just Bochinche [gossip]. We'll delve more deeply into the Puerto Rican community in Manhattan and the Bronx as time passes.
Things To Do Memorial Day Weekend Manhattan NYC - Memorial Day Events & Parades Mhtn NYC
Things To Do Memorial Day Weekend Manhattan NYC
Things To Do In Manhattan NYC, Over The Memorial Day Weekend 2024
Updated May 27, 2024 from 5/21/24 / Things To Do Memorial Day Weekend Manhattan NYC / Manhattan Buzz NYC.
This is a report containing things to do in Manhattan over the Memorial Day Weekend, including Memorial Day Parades in Manhattan with links to the other boroughs of NYC.
NYC Weather Forecast as of 5.23.24. The temperature highs will fall from the mid 80's on Friday to about 70 on Monday, The temperature lows will be in the low to mid 60's all four days of the long weekend. No rain is in the forecast for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but on Monday there's about an inch of rain expected, but when and how much has been changing, so stay tuned. The winds will be 5 - 10 mph Friday, Saturday and Sunday, then kicking up to 10 - 15 mph on Monday. The humidity increases from 45% - 55% on Friday, to 45% - 75% on Saturday, and then continuing to rise to 70 - 80% on Sunday and 80% - 90% on Monday. Three out of four days isn't bad, and the last day, Memorial Day, is still a bit of a wild card.
The things to do in Manhattan on Memorial Day Weekend include art exhibitions, theater, live music, comedy, dance, shopping, outdoor activities such as soccer, kyaking, baseball, parades, street fairs, museums and dining on the Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Harlem, Washington Heights, Midtown Manhattan, the East or West Village, LES, SoHo, Tribeca or Downtown FiDi in Manhattan NYC.
Be sure to check our Memorial Day Weekend things to do, which we post on the front page on Friday afternoon leading into the Memorial Day Weekend in Manhattan NYC.
Brief History of the Memorial Day Holiday in Manhattan
Memorial Day first started out as Decoration Day in Waterloo, New York on May 30, 1866 - a year after the Civil War - to honor those who fought in it. In the 1880's the day came to be known as Memorial Day.
According to a May 25, 2012 report in Time Magazine, ten states - Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North and South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee also officially observe some version of a Confederate Memorial Day, sometime between late April and early June [in Texas it's in January]. It's been reported that unofficially most of the former Confederate states still commemorate it, but not without some controversy as to the former Confederate diaspora it's to honor their ancestors, while to the former diaspora of the slaves it seems a remnant of these states racist past.
About ten percent of the nation travels more than 50 miles over the weekend. Memorial Day differs from Veterans Day which is held on November 11th of each year. Veterans Day began by honoring those who fought in World War I which ended on the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. Both honor those who served in the U.S. Military. Veterans Day coincides with a similar holiday in Europe for the same reason, which is called Remembrance Day and Armistice Day.
Things to do in Other NYC Boroughs Memorial Day Weekend
Things to do Manhattan Memorial Day Weekend NYC and Queens Things To Do Memorial Day Weekend NYC and Things to do Bronx Memorial Day Weekend NYC and Brooklyn Things To Do Memorial Day Weekend NYC and Staten Island Things To Do Memorial Day Weekend NYC.
- Click here to view the rest of our report of things to do Memorial Day Weekend in Manhattan NYC. And we'll have more to add by Friday.
Pulaski Parade Manhattan NYC
Pulaski Parade Charms Manhattan
October 4, 2016 / Midtown Manhattan / Manhattan Parades / Manhattan Buzz.
I attended the Pulaksi Day Parade on Sunday. The Pulaski Day Parade celebrates Polish heritage in America, highlighting one of the early Polish contributors to America's democracy, General Pulaski who fought in the American Revolutionary War.
It was a beautiful clear day with temperatures around 70 degrees and the sun was shining. All along Fifth Avenue people had lined the streets, awaiting the parade floats, bands and marchers. In front of St. Patrick's Cathedral stood two members of the clergy with whom I had a chance to speak.
CLICK here to read the rest of our report on the Pulaski Parade in Manhattan NYC. The report includes some of the history of the role Polish people played in securing our freedom.
Dance Parade Moves To The Music
Dance Parade Encompasses Cast Of Thousands
May 19, 2014 / East Village NYC / Things To Do Manhattan / Manhattan Buzz NYC.
I attended the Dance Parade in NYC. It's an event that started in response to some old laws on the books prohibiting certain kinds of behaviors that could encompass dance performances. Laws of a bygone era.
There were thousands lining the streets of the parade route which began in the Flatiron District, moving south along Broadway through the heart of the Village before turning east into the East Village and terminating at Tompkins Square Park. Performances followed at Tompkins Square Park.
In the photo at right you can see a dance group as they march along Broadway not far from Union Square Park. We have a slew of photos of this visual feast which we'll post at a later date.
Manhattan Halloween Parades West Village NYC
NYC Halloween Parade in Manhattan NYC West Village
Tuesday, October 31, 2023 beginning at 7 pm & ending around 10.30 pm
Description. The 50th Annual Manhattan Halloween Parade NYC in the West Village. The NYC Halloween Parade runs through the West Village neighborhood for three to four hours with the official end time at 10.30 pm. There are over 35 bands and an innumerable showing of creative costumes. The theme is Upside Down and Inside Out. The after party is at Webster Hall in the East Village [see Webster Hell above].
Location. The NYC Halloween Parade begins at Spring Street / Canal and 6th Avenue and marches north along 6th to 15th Street. West Village Halloween parade in Manhattan NYC.
Contact. https://halloween-nyc.com/
Village Halloween Parade Manhattan NYC
A Brief History of the Manhattan Halloween Parade in the Village NYC
October / West Village Neighborhood / Manhattan Parades including the Village Halloween Parade NYC / Manhattan Buzz.
The Village Halloween Parade is the only nighttime parade in New York City, and according to Wikipedia, the only nighttime parade in the entire country.
The Village Halloween Parade first began in 1974 when a Manhattan puppeteer, Ralph Lee, organized artists, musicians and theater people in a celebration of the arts in the West Village neighborhood of Manhattan. In the early years the parade was cast as street theater and it was not only wildly reflective of the times, but also outrageously reflective of the gay scene in the West Village in the 1970's.
Within a few years the parade expanded its route out of the West Village into Washington Square, and within ten years the parade had greatly outgrown the Village neighborhood streets and was moved onto Sixth Avenue.
- CLICK here to read the rest of our report about the Manhattan Halloween Parade in the West Village NYC.
Manhattan Halloween Parties, Parades & Events NYC
Manhattan Halloween Parties, Parades & Events NYC
Manhattan Halloween Parties in Midtown, UES, Upper East Side, East Village, West Village Halloween Parade Manhattan NYC, UWS, Upper West Side, SoHo, Harlem, LES, Lower East Side, Downtown NYC Seaport, Inwood & Washington Heights Manhattan Halloween Events NYC
UPDATING October 13, 2024 vs 10.30.23 / Manhattan Neighborhoods / Manhattan Restaurants / Manhattan Buzz NYC.
Halloween occurs on a Thursday this year. The Manhattan Halloween party celebrations begin leading into the weekend running through to Halloween day itself. The following is a round up of some of the Halloween parties planned in Manhattan.
THE FOLLOWING NEEDS UPDATING TO 2O24. STAY TUNED. WE'RE ON IT.
The weather around Halloween is usually about 65 during the day time and around 50 degrees at night. It's too early to tell what the precipitation will be the preceding weekend as well as on Halloween, but we provide weather updates each Friday.
The 47th Annual Village Halloween Parade Manhattan NYC starts at 7 pm at Spring Street and 6th Avenue and marches north to 16th Street on Tuesday, October 31st. It runs through the West Village neighborhood for three to four hours with the official end time at 10.30 pm. We've heard that there are over 35 bands and an innumerable showing of creative costumes.
The following is a short list of Manhattan Halloween parties at local bars, restaurants and arts and public venues will be added over time. In most cases we suggest that you call ahead and rsvp a spot to be sure you get in.
Click here to view our report on Manhattan Halloween Parties NYC - Halloween Parties, Parades & Events in Manhattan NYC.
St Pat's Day Bars Irish Pubs & Restaurants Manhattan - UES, UWS, Midtown, East Village St Patrick's Day Bars & Irish Pubs & Restaurants Manhattan NYC
Manhattan St Pat's Day Irish Pubs, Restaurants & Historic Bars in NYC 2024
Historic Manhattan St Pat's Day Pubs, Irish Bars & Restaurants On St. Patrick's Day In NYC, UES, UWS, Midtown & Village
March 11, 2024 / Manhattan Neighborhoods NYC / Manhattan Restaurants NYC / Manhattan Buzz NYC.
St. Patrick’s Day is upon us once again and it’s time for one and all, regardless of genetic history, to don their green clothing and head out to the Irish bars for a pint of ale or to the Irish restaurants for some down home Irish fare.
This report is about some of the Manhattan Irish bars and restaurants that have survived the test of time, and likely a might bit more. The Irish pubs include Irish bars and restaurants from the Upper East Side [UES], the Upper West Side [UWS], Midtown Manhattan as well as the East Village, as McSorley's remains not just a pub, but a good piece of history.
St Patrick's Day is on a Sunday this year.
While St. Patrick's Day is one big party, it's important to keep in mind, that like New Years Eve, all the amateurs come out to play [it's not just the Irish who are out drinking on St. Patrick's Day]. So some measure of caution is advised and you have to be careful.
At a later date we'll add a bit of history of St. Patrick's Day.
Click here to read our report about the St Pat's Day Bars, Irish Pubs & Restaurants in Manhattan NYC. We'll begin our journey on the Upper East Side UES where the Manhattan St. Patrick's Day Parade ends and then work our way around the rest of Manhattan.
Manhattan Halloween Parades West Village NYC
NYC Halloween Parade in Manhattan NYC West Village
Tuesday, October 31, 2023 beginning at 7 pm & ending around 10.30 pm
Description. The 50th Annual Manhattan Halloween Parade NYC in the West Village. The NYC Halloween Parade runs through the West Village neighborhood for three to four hours with the official end time at 10.30 pm. There are over 35 bands and an innumerable showing of creative costumes. The theme is Upside Down and Inside Out. The after party is at Webster Hall in the East Village [see Webster Hell above].
Location. The NYC Halloween Parade begins at Spring Street / Canal and 6th Avenue and marches north along 6th to 15th Street. West Village Halloween parade in Manhattan NYC.
Contact. https://halloween-nyc.com/
Village Halloween Parade Manhattan NYC
A Brief History of the Manhattan Halloween Parade in the Village NYC
October / West Village Neighborhood / Manhattan Parades including the Village Halloween Parade NYC / Manhattan Buzz.
The Village Halloween Parade is the only nighttime parade in New York City, and according to Wikipedia, the only nighttime parade in the entire country.
The Village Halloween Parade first began in 1974 when a Manhattan puppeteer, Ralph Lee, organized artists, musicians and theater people in a celebration of the arts in the West Village neighborhood of Manhattan. In the early years the parade was cast as street theater and it was not only wildly reflective of the times, but also outrageously reflective of the gay scene in the West Village in the 1970's.
Within a few years the parade expanded its route out of the West Village into Washington Square, and within ten years the parade had greatly outgrown the Village neighborhood streets and was moved onto Sixth Avenue.
- CLICK here to read the rest of our report about the Manhattan Halloween Parade in the West Village NYC.
nyc things to do manhattan brooklyn queens bronx staten island things to do events nyc
Greek Independence Day Parade NYC
Greeks Celebrate Independence From Ottoman Empire
March 31, 2015 / Upper East Side Neighborhood / Manhattan Parades / Gotham Buzz. In 1821 a Greek Bishop tore down the flag of the reigning Ottomans and erected the Greek flag atop his church. This action and this moment is considered by many historians to be the official beginning of the Greek fight for independence from the Ottoman Turks. The Ottomans had ruled Greece for about four centuries.
Fast forward to the 21st century in New York City and the Greeks are on the march once again. The Evzones Presidential Guard marched near the front of the parade. They were preceded by a cadre of government officials including the Governor (who I missed) and the Mayor, as well as government officials from the Greek neighborhood of Astoria in Queens.
The parade was organized by the Federation of Hellenic Societies which is an inclusive group of a good number of different Greek cultural and civic groups in the tri-state area. The photo above right shows a group from the University of Thessaloniki in Greece marching along the east side of Central Park on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.
Click here to visit our section dedicated to Manhatan Parades NYC.
Thanksgiving Day Parade Manhattan
89th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade NYC
November / UWS Upper West Side Neighborhood / Manhattan Parades NYC / Manhattan Buzz / by Michael Wood.
On Thursday November 27, 2015 the 89th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade began at 9 am. The hydrogen-filled balloons are inflated and held along Central Park West around the Museum of Natural History on Wednesday evening. You can view them the night before Thanksgiving, as they are fastened securely to the ground, for free.
Sometime in the wee hours of Thanksgiving morning, folks from around the nation begin to camp out along the Thanksgiving Day Parade route to secure a good viewing location in advance of the parade. These intrepid members of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade audience braved the weather, which this year was pretty accommodating. When I arrived between 7 and 8 am it was in the mid 40's.
I asked a few of them why they did this and they told me that they had traveled from distant states and may never see the parade in person again. Some of them also had friends or family marching in the parade and they didn't want to miss seeing and photographing them marching in the nationally televised parade.
Click here to visit our section dedicated to Manhatan Parades NYC.
Pulaski Parade Charms Manhattan
October 4, 2016 / Midtown Manhattan / Manhattan Parades / Manhattan Buzz.
I attended the Pulaksi Day Parade on Sunday. The Pulaski Day Parade celebrates Polish heritage in America, highlighting one of the early Polish contributors to America's democracy, General Pulaski who fought in the American Revolutionary War.
It was a beautiful clear day with temperatures around 70 degrees and the sun was shining. All along Fifth Avenue people had lined the streets, awaiting the parade floats, bands and marchers. In front of St. Patrick's Cathedral stood two members of the clergy with whom I had a chance to speak.
We'll have more about the Pulaski Parade later this week.
Holi Hai in Dag Hammarskjold Park
Indian Festival of Colors Celebrates the End of Winter & Love
May 10, 2016 / Midtown NYC / Holidays in Manhattan / Gotham Buzz.
This year I decided to celebrate the coming of Spring by joining the thousands of Holi Hai celebrants at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza two weeks ago.
Holi [without the Hai] is an ancient Hindu festival that celebrates the end of winter, the triumph of good over evil and love. The Holi festival dates back thousands of years, coming down first through an oral Hindu tradition and first documented about the 4th century A.D. according to Wikipedia. I'll get into the mythology and history that accompanies this annual celebration a bit later in this report.
I'm pretty sure that the Holi Hai festival at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza began in 2013, thus making this its fourth year. The event started at 2nd Avenue and 47th Street in Midtown East at 11 am and ended at 6 pm, although many folks didn't depart the plaza until sometime later. During the seven hour event there were easily hundreds of celebrants at any one given time, and musical performances on a stage set back in along the plaza, complemented by several Asian food stalls interspersed in and around the plaza.
But the main fun is in the interactions that take place within the large body of celebrants, who don old T-shirts, and come prepared to give messy and get messy. More to come late this week.
April Fools Day Parade NYC
Breaks Guinness Book World Record for Trump Look-alikes
April 1, 2017 / Upper East Side Neighborhood UES / Things to do Manhattan / Fact & Fiction / Manhattan Buzz NYC.
On Saturday morning I made my way to the corner of 59th Street and Fifth Avenue to photograph and cover the April Fools Day Parade in Manhattan. For years I'd noticed this event, and last year finally posted it, wondering if in fact it was just a prank.
This year they spiced things up a bit, by posting a downloadable Trump mask on the site which people contemplating participating in the parade could wear to help them break the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest crowd of Trump Look-alikes.
You can imagine my surprise and dismay when I arrived early and there were only a couple of people milling around in what I would have assumed was the proper location. But the disappointment gave way to plenty of smiles as one by one the Trumpsters arrived and it wasn't long before there were hundreds, possibly over a thousand, Trump Look-alikes.
I spoke to the organizer of the 32nd Annual April Fools Day Parade who told me they had succeeded in meeting the verification requirements needed to get the official designation of having broken a Guinness Book of World Records. So congratulations to the organizers on a job well done.
Next year I'm planning on inviting some out-of-town guests to participate in the 33rd Annual NYC April Fools Day Parade, as it turned out to be a very humorous way to start the day.
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Manhattan: Chinese New Year of the Monkey
Chinese New Year Parade & Brief NYC Chinatown History
February 15, 2016 / Chinatown Manhattan NYC / Things To Do Manhattan / Manhattan Buzz NYC.
Ancient Chinese Calendar Based on Chinese Zodiac & Study of Planets
This past week Manhattan celebrated the Chinese New Year of the Monkey. The Monkey is fun-loving, curious, clever and mischievous. Those born this year, or five Chinese calendar cycles ago in 1944, are born under the influence of the Fire element. There are five elements, and each influences a 12 year / Chinese calendar cycle. We are currently in a Chinese calendrical cycle that is influenced by the Fire sign. It is believed the 12 years corresponds to the 11.86 years it takes Jupiter to revolve around the sun.
Chinese Five Elements Influence 12 Years of the Calendar Cycle
Every calendar cycle is influenced by one of the five elements: metal, water, wood, fire and earth. And each of these natural elements signifies something. The five elements are associated with the five planets nearest to earth which are: Mercury [water], Mars [fire], Venus [metal], Saturn [earth] and Jupiter [wood]. The five elements are all natural and have transformative influences on each other. For instance water can extinguish a fire, a fire can be created with wood, and fire can melt metal. If you study these transformations you will see that they are all connected, like nature itself, a part of a whole. Thus an entire cycle encompasses the five elements times each calendrical [or zodiac] sign for a total of 60 years.
Click here for a brief history of NYC Chinatown in Manhattan and the NYC Chinese New Year Parade in Manhattan.
Nigerian Parade NYC
Nigerian Americans Celebrate their 55th Year of Independence
October 26, 2015 / Midtown Neighborhood NYC / Things To Do Midtown / Manhattan Buzz / by Michael Wood. It was a beautiful Fall day as I made my way to watch the Nigerian Parade. The celebration was scheduled to run from about 11 am to 5 or 6 pm. I saw multiple listings for the parade time, including at noon and at 1 pm, but in fact they 'hit the road' a bit later than that.
Nigeria is celebrating its 55th year of independence from Great Britain. The country was formed in its current state around 1914. Independence was recognized in 1960 and Nigeria began operating as a Republic in 1963. Its current Constitution was put in place in 1999.
Nigeria is located in central Africa, along its western coast on the Gulf of Guinea which lies adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean and has a population of about 180 million people. While English is the official language, the native languages of the dominant tribes - the Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo - are also spoken in great numbers.
Nigeria currently has the largest economy in Africa [recently surpasses South Africa] and the 20th largest economy in the world because of its rich oil supplies. Nigeria provides the United States with about 20% of its oil imports and hence runs a trade surplus with the U.S.
There appears to be constant political turmoil in the nation due to: 1) international interest in the nation's oil, 2) the nation's three largest ethnic groups are about the same size and 3) the Islamist movement is also at work in the region. It seems Nigeria's oil riches have generated a considerable amount of non-domestic interest.
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Columbus Day Parade NYC
Upper East Side Welcomes Celebration of Italian Heritage in America
October 13, 2015 / Upper East Side Neighborhood / Manhattan Parades / Manhattan Buzz NYC / by Michael Wood.
Columbus Citizen Foundation
It was a near perfect day as I made my way to the Upper East Side to watch the Columbus Day Parade in Manhattan. The parade is organized by the Columbus Citizen Foundation. The Columbus Citizen Foundation was formed in 1944 under the leadership of Judge S. Samuel Di Falco and Generoso Pope.
Generoso Pope
Generoso Pope's life was one of those American success stories. He came to America just after the turn of the century and died a mega millionaire, having made his money in construction. He was also the publisher of a number of Italian language newspapers and a strong supporter of FDR. In 1934 FDR made Columbus Day a national holiday, which some believed was at Generoso Pope's urging.
Columbus Monument & Columbus Circle on the Upper West Side UWS
Pope and Di Falco established the Columbus Citizen Foundation in 1944 which, as mentioned above, is the organizer of the Columbus Day Parade event. According to the Columbus Citizen Foundation website, the parade had been institutionalized in 1929. Prior to the institution of the parade there was a wreath laying ceremony at Columbus Circle to commemorate the anniversary of Columbus's discovery. Columbus Monument in Columbus Circle was erected in Manhattan in 1892 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus' discovery.
Click here for more about the history of the Columbus Day Parade in NYC, including photos and a video of it along the Upper East Side.
Celebrate Israel Parade
51st Parade Celebrating the State of Israel
May 31, 2015 / UES Upper East Side Neighborhood / Manhattan Parades NYC / Gotham Buzz.
The 51st Celebrate Israel Parade began at 11 am in Midtown at 57th Street along 5th Avenue. Participants came from all over the tri-state area to march in the Manhattan parade, as well as a sizeable contingent that comes from Israel for the event. The Israeli Ambassador attended the parade, as well as a number of members of an Israeli Defense group, to to name just a few.
The parade started in 1965 as the Salute Israel Parade and the name was changed in 2011 to the Celebrate Israel Parade. Since its name change the parade organizers have designated themes for the parade.
The first theme was in 2012 entitled Israel Branches Out, the 2013 theme was entitled Picture Israel: The Art & the Craft, the 2014 theme was 50 Reasons to Celebrate Israel and the 2015 theme was entitled Israel Imagines. One of the parade organizers was asked what that meant and she said imagine peace.
Some of the local government officials who marched in the parade include Mayor de Blasio, Public Defender Letitia James, NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer, U.S. Senator Schumer and Queens Borough President Melinda Katz.
Greek Independence Day Parade NYC
Greek Diaspora To Converge On UES Manhattan
March 23, 2015 / Midtown & Upper East Side / UES Neighborhood / Manhattan Parades / Gotham Buzz. The Greek Independence Day Parade returns to Manhattan on March 29th at 1.45 pm begins on Fifth Avenue at 65th Street and marches up to 79th Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
The parade celebrates Greece's struggle for independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1821, when legend has it that Bishop Germanos of Patras erected the Greek flag in defiance of the ruling Turks and the insurgency began.
The parade is organized by the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York which is located in Astoria Queens. The photo above was taken at the 2013 Greek Independence Day Parade in Manhattan.
Story and photos by Michael Wood.
St Patrick's Day Parade Manhattan
St. Patrick's Day Parade In Manhattan Celebrates Centuries Old Tradition & Becomes Focal Point Between Old & New Social Norms
March 2, 2015 / Midtown NYC / Manhattan Parades / Gotham Buzz. Last year I attended the St. Patrick's Day Parade which begins in Midtown Manhattan and marches north to the Upper East Side.
It's really quite a sight as there are cadres of bagpipers, policemen and firemen, soldiers, sailors, special forces, bands and civilians. It was a very well organized parade. Very neat and very precise ... and with all due respect, not necessarily what I think of, when I think of the Irish.
We'll delve a bit more into the history of the parade, the current controversy and we'll set up a slide show of the parade last year.
Story and photos by Michael Wood.
Thanksgiving Day Parade Manhattan
88th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade NYC
December 1, 2014 / UWS Upper West Side Neighborhood / Manhattan Parades NYC / Midtown Buzz. On Thursday November 27, 2014 the 88th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade began at 9 am. The hydrogen-filled balloons are inflated and held along Central Park West around the Museum of Natural History on Wednesday evening. You can view them the night before Thanksgiving, as they are fastened securely to the ground, for free.
Sometime in the wee hours of Thanksgiving morning, folks from around the nation begin to camp out along the Thanksgiving Day Parade route to secure a good viewing location in advance of the parade. These intrepid members of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade audience braved the cold temperatures and precipitation. When I arrived between 7 and 8 am it was in the mid 30's.
I asked a few of them why they did this and they told me that they had traveled from distant states and may never see the parade in person again. Some of them also had friends or family marching in the parade and they didn't want to miss seeing and photographing them marching in the nationally televised parade.
The story and photo by Michael Wood.
Village Halloween Parade Photos
Another Entertaining Edition Of Street Theater
November 3, 2014 / Village Neighborhood NYC / Manhattan Parades NYC / Midtown Buzz. I arrived just as the parade was about to begin. There were hundreds of thousands lining the streets to watch the annual Village Halloween Parade. And in the course of the evening we would see thousands march in it.
It was a cool brisk night with temperatures in the high 40's, so not exactly cold, but not warm either. The parade began with a number of policemen on horses marching up the street followed by a few sanitation department employees who would ensure the streets would remain clean of horsey doo.
And then came the spirits of Halloween past, present and future. A lot of creativity went into this holiday parade as you will see in the photo slide show we'll post at a later date.
Story and photo by Michael Wood.
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People's Climate March Photos
Over 300,000 People March / Interesting Signage / Creative Costumes / Jazzy Music / Important Message / By The People & For The People / We Are One World / We Are One People / We Must Learn To Live In Harmony With Each Other & With Our Ecosystem
Green Companies Missed Big Marketing Opportunity To Reach Their Passionate Audience
September 22, 2014 / Midtown Neighborhood / News Analysis & Opinion / Manhattan Buzz NYC.
I came up the subway stairs at Times Square Sunday, September 21, 2014 shortly before 1 pm. I had hoped to cover the People's Climate March story beginning at 11.30 am at Columbus Circle which was when the parade was to start; but I was detained and rushed to cover what I had thought might be the END of the parade. Boy, was I wrong. I ran head on into the BEGINNING of the parade, although I had missed the very front of it.
It truly was a People's Parade as there were few government officials were in attendance. According to one report I read after the parade, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon joined the head of the parade around 12.45 pm, which was about the time I had arrived, so I missed them.
There were also a few NY City Council Members who marched, versus an NYT report that indicated a third or more planned to march. I recognized three of about five NY City Councilmembers that were there: NY City Council Speaker Viverito, UWS CCM Rosenthal and Astoria Queens CCM Costa Constantinides.
Click here later today to read our full report of the People's Climate March including hundreds of photos, and a number of parade marchers' views of what's really going on, as well as what can practically be done by regular folks about it.
Click here Monday evening to read our report and view photos of the People's Climate March in NYC. Story and photos by Michael Wood.
San Gennaro Festival Marches Thru Rain
While Little Italy Serves Visitors Authentic NYC Italian
September 15, 2014 / SoHo NYC Little Italy Neighborhood / Manhattan Restaurants / Manhattan Parades / Midtown Buzz. It certainly wasn't ideal weather as I made my way into Little Italy early Saturday afternoon. The clouds above were dark grey, and an on-and-off drizzle dampened the sky.
I arrived shortly before the parade was to pass so I made my way along Mulberry Street photographing the food and clothing carts as I passed. Soon the police and Governor's secret service men arrived, clearing the way.
Mulberry is an old narrow street, allowing just enough room for a vehicle to pass, as the carts filled the streets on either side. Hence there were only a few floats in this parade. And several tightly choreographed local marching bands brought up the rear of the parade. All in all, it was, an old fashioned parade and those of us who had braved the inclement weather greatly enjoyed it.
But the San Gennaro Parade was just the beginning of my adventure in the Little Italy neighborhood of NYC. You'll be able to click here later this week to view the rest of the report along with a photo slide show. The San Gennaro Festival honors the Patron Saint of Naples and continues through next weekend. There's another parade too [see our things to do calendar].
Story and photos by Michael Wood.
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India Day Parade Photos
Beautiful Parade Celebrating Indian History & Culture
August 18, 2014 / Manhattan Parades / Midtown Manhattan NYC / Manhattan Buzz NYC.
I attended the 44th annual India Day Parade in Manhattan on Sunday. As you can see by the photo at right, it was a colorful event full of peace, love and cultural enchantment, which are a few of the hallmarks of Indian culture.
It was a large parade including about 40 floats, 20 marching groups and six bands. We photographed Mayor de Blasio appearing at the stand to make a few remarks. And a number of food vendors as well as a number of cultural attractions were stationed where the parade terminated, in Madison Square Park, to provide food and entertainment from 3 pm to 6 pm.
The Indian Day Parade was started in 1981 making this years parade its 34th year. The parade was started by the Federation of Indian Associations [FIA] which, according to Jay (Jaswant) B. Mody [one of the parade officials I met at the event], the FIA started in 1974 / 1975 under a different name. The parade celebrates Indian independence from Great Britain on August 15th of 1947. Pakistan, which was a part of India prior to independence, was granted its independence from Great Britain on August 14th, 1947.
Federation of Indian Associations also celebrates the 26th day of January which is the Republican Day of India [the day the Constitution of India passed into law]. The Federation of Indian Associations also raises funds to help families and to donate to catastrophic situations at home and abroad. As of 2006 more than 300,000 Indian Americans lived in the tristate area and the Indian immigrant population continues to grow. The Federation of India Americans main office is in Jackson Heights in Queens. And significant Indian communities may be found in Edison & Jersey City in NJ, in Stamford and New Haven in Connecticut, and Jackson Heights and Manhattan in NYC.
Click here to read a report about events leading up to India's Independence and the India Day Parade in Manhattan NYC with photos. Story and photos by Michael Wood.
Parades In Manhattan - Celebrate Israel & Philippine Independence
Tens Of Thousands Participate & Watch Two Separate Parades In NYC
June 2, 2014 / Midtown NYC / Manhattan Parades NYC / Things To Do Manhattan / Midtown Buzz. Two significant parades occurred this past weekend in Manhattan: the Celebrate Israel Parade and the Philippine Independence Parade.
It was a beautiful sunny morning as I traveled to the Upper East Side of NYC to watch the Celebrate Israel Parade. One of the parade managers told me that there were about 35,000 participants in the parade, and the crowd watching it was comprised of tens of thousands too.
There were literally thousands of school children who marched in the parade, from Jewish communities of and surrounding Manhattan, including the outerboroughs, Long Island, New Jersey and at least one of the groups had come from Pennsylvania to march in the parade. The Celebrate Israel signs and floats contained messages of support for the Israeli state.
After photographing the Celebrate Israel Parade I walked down to 38th Street and Madison Avenue to photograph the Philippine Independence Parade. Here the pageantry turned tropical and the weather had cooperated, so we saw south sea islands silks and satins draping tropical women and men [see photo at right].
We'll have more to report about these parades at a later date, including slide shows.
Story and photos by Michael Wood.
Dance Parade Moves To The Music
Dance Parade Encompasses Cast Of Thousands
May 19, 2014 / East Village NYC / Manhattan Parades NYC / Things To Do Manhattan / Midtown Buzz. I attended the Dance Parade in NYC. It's an event that started in response to some old laws on the books prohibiting certain kinds of behaviors that could encompass dance performances. Laws of a bygone era.
There were thousands lining the streets of the parade route which began in the Flatiron District, moving south along Broadway through the heart of the Village before turning east into the East Village and terminating at Tompkins Square Park. Performances followed at Tompkins Square Park.
In the photo at right you can see a dance group as they march along Broadway not far from Union Square Park. We have a slew of photos of this visual feast which we'll post at a later date.
Story and photos by Michael Wood.
Greek Easter Traditions In Manhattan
Easter Weekend At St. John's In Gramercy Park
April 21, 2014 / Manhattan Neighborhoods / Gramercy Park Neighborhood / Parades Manhattan NYC / Midtown Buzz. Friday evening I made my way to St. John's Orthodox Church in Gramercy Park. There was a Holy Friday church service at 7 pm which was to be followed by a Holy Friday procession through the streets of Manhattan by the parishoners with a large cross and the floral covered epitaphios.
I entered the church was was packed with a standing room only crowd to see what I might see. Incense was burning, leaving a scent wafting through the air, recollective of an age old tradition coming from thousands of miles and thousands of years gone by.
Eventually the crowd made its way into the street which had been cordoned off by the NYPD. Candles were lit and distributed amongst the crowd. And then the parish priest, accompanied by the cross and the epitaphios appeared. We headed west on 17th Street toward Irving Place as the procession began.
In the photo to your right you can see the Greek Orthodox Holy Friday procession of St. John's Greek Orthodox Church in Gramercy Park. A bit to the right of the cross is the red and white, floral-covered, dome-shaped epitaphios. We'll post more photos and a bit more information later in the day / week.
Persian Parade in Midtown Manhattan
April 13, 2014 / Things To Do In Manhattan / Parades Manhattan NYC / MidtownBuzz. I attended the Persian Day Parade in Manhattan on Sunday. It was a colorful historic parade on a sunny and relatively warm April afternoon. The parade was well attended by many people of Iranian / Persian descent as they lined Madison Avenue between 38th Street and Madison Square Park.
The parade contained many dancers, dressed in ancient Persian garb. The dancers were primarily females, but there were some male dancers too. A number of musical groups were also performing in the parade, including one group which not only played the instruments, but also did a dance step too.
And there were quite a number of large decorative floats, some commemorating the 'old country' while others were sponsored by commercial organizations or designed to make a statement about an issue, like a nuclear fusion group.
The photo to your right is a float representing Khaju Bridge which was built about 400 years ago. The bridge is of Safavian architecture and not only served as a bridge, but also a damn and a public building with the offices of the government.
Tartan Parade / Tartan Week In Manhattan
April 6, 2014 / Things To Do In Manhattan / Parades Manhattan NYC / MidtownBuzz. There was a Scottish Parade in Manhattan Sunday to commemorate the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320. It asserted Scottish sovereignity and was believed to have an influence on the U.S. Constitution, because it was one of the first documents to declare rights of freedom.
The Tartan Parade began on Saturday at 11 am [?] and ran along 6th Avenue from 45th Street to 55th Street. April 6th is the officially designated Tartan Day. This week is also national Tartan Week which included a number of other events like the Tartan Day run through Central Park on Saturday, and a celebratory luncheon at Bryant Park during Tartan Week.
The Tartan parade is organized by National Tartan Day New York Committee at 150 East 55th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10022 / (212) 980 - 0844. Other participating groups included the St Andrews Society of New York, the New York Caledonian Club, the American-Scottish Foundation and Clan Campbell.
Greek Independence Day Parade In Manhattan NYC
March 30, 2014 / Things To Do In Manhattan / Parades Manhattan NYC / MidtownBuzz. It was a cloudy day with highs in the 50's and a high probability of sporadic rain for the Sunday of the Greek Independence Day Parade in Manhattan.
But the Greeks are intrepid and a good crowd lined Fifth Avenue to watch the Greek Independence Day Parade which began at 64th Street and Fifth Avenue and marched up to 79th Street.
The parade encapsulated a number of historic moments of the Grecian past, including the battle of Themopylae when King Leonidas of Sparta lead the federation of Greek city states against the mighty Persian Empire of Xerxes. The Persians had plans to conquer all of Greece to make it their own, while the Greeks fought to remain a conglomeration of city states.
The small Grecian force held off a Persian army many times their size, in one of history's great last stands.
Click here to see photos of the Greek Independence Day Parade in NYC.
St Patrick's Day Parade In NYC
March 12, 2014 / Things To Do in Manhattan / Midtown Buzz. Amid a bit of controversy regarding the admittance of gay participants in the parade, the St. Patrick's Day Parade in NYC will march ahead as planned.
The NYC St Patrick's Day Parade has been around for 253 years, beginning in 1761. The NYC St Patrick's Day Parade begins in Midtown at 44th Street and Fifth Avenue and ends at 79th Street and Fifth Avenue on the Upper East Side.
In the photo at right are the folks who braved the windy 20 and 30 degree weather to watch the St Patrick's Day Parade in Manhattan.
St Patrick's Day Parade In NYC
March 12, 2014 / Things To Do in Manhattan / Midtown Buzz. Amid a bit of controversy regarding the admittance of gay participants in the parade, the St. Patrick's Day Parade in NYC will march ahead as planned. The NYC St Patrick's Day Parade has been around for 253 years, beginning in 1761.
The NYC St Patrick's Day Parade begins in Midtown at 44th Street and Fifth Avenue and ends at 79th Street and Fifth Avenue on the Upper East Side.
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