Thousands of people filled Midtown on Sunday to celebrate the 44th National Dominican Parade, one of the great expressions of Dominican pride and culture in New York, which this year had as its theme “Dominicans: Identity and Culture.”
Sixth Avenue, between 37th and 55th streets, became a sea of red, white and blue. Dominican flags waved among the crowd as floats, dancers and musicians moved through Manhattan to the rhythm of the drum, the güira and the diatonic accordion.
The sidewalks remained packed with families and spectators who sang, danced and applauded during the tour. Dominican music resonated through the buildings as participants celebrated their roots and the community’s contributions to New York City.
Before the parade began, elected officials and community leaders participated in the traditional ribbon cutting that began the festivities. Among them were Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Attorney General Letitia James, Congressman Adriano Espaillat and Public Defender Jumaane Williams.
Also present were the honorees of this edition: the Grand Marshal, Dr. Ramón Tallaj, founder of SOMOS Community Care; the Godfather of the Parade, the salsa singer José Alberto “El Canario”; the King of the Parade, radio and television presenter Frederick Martínez “El Pachá”; and the Ambassador of Youth Empowerment, Lizbel Ortiz, writer and creator.
“It is a great joy to be here with so many other leaders of the municipal and state government to celebrate the Dominican community of our city,” said Mamdani. «We know that more than one in eight New Yorkers has Dominican roots, and today is a day to celebrate that and the long legacy of this beautiful community in this incredible city. Thank you very much for everything you have done for this city. We love you and appreciate you.”
Hochul also expressed his pride in participating in the celebration.
“I feel very proud to represent all of you and I can’t wait to show our love for the Dominican Republic,” said Hochul.
The parade concluded on Sixth Avenue and West 55th Street, after traveling through several blocks of Midtown in a celebration that once again turned Manhattan into a meeting point for the Dominican community.
