The Columbus Day Parade will march up Fifth Ave. today (photo by twi-ny/mdr)
Fifth Ave. from 47th to 72nd Sts.
Monday, October 11, free, 11:30 am – 3:00 pm
www.columbuscitizensfd.org
The Columbus Day Parade used to celebrate the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus. The only problem was that there were already people living there. So now it “celebrates the spirit of exploration and courage that inspired Christopher Columbus’s 1492 expedition and the important contributions Italian-Americans have made to the United States.” Beginning at 11:30 this morning at 47th St., high school marching bands, community organizations, folk groups, and more will make their way up Fifth Ave., dancing, singing, and paying tribute to the vast history of Italians in America. This year’s sixty-sixth annual parade, led by Grand Marshal Maria Bartiromo and honorees Frank Bisignano (the CEO of JPMorganChase) and Jason DeSena Trennert (the founder of Strategas Research Partners), features special live performances from PINOCCHIO, THE ITALIAN MUSICAL. Related events include a wreath laying at Columbus Circle at 9:30 and a cultural exhibition at Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal.