Puerto Ricans all throughout the Tri-State area and from the enchanted island in the Caribbean circle the second Sunday of June for the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade. This year the pueblo of Guayama was selected to represent the island for the 55th annual parade along with other representatives of other pueblos from the island. There was plenty of excitement building for the proud display of Puerto Rican culture both old and new. The mounted police signaled the start of what would the loudest and proudest of parades so far. Parade sponsors carried their banner followed by the heavyhitters of NY politics including Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg with the City Council and other elected officials. Then the fun really started when the Banda Escolar de Guayama showed off what a marching band from Puerto Rico should sound like. They crowd loved them. Soon after them came a group of children dancing in fun costumes known as Las Sencillas de Guayama. The diablos tried to scare a few of the younger children in the crowd. A really nice treat came in a group of Estrellas Del Sur from Guayama. They had a well choreographed dance routine for the crowd to enjoy.
Getting the crowd worked up for a day of celebration were the all female drum band Batala. They were amazing with their new drum march. Another group from Guayama also represented their town well. The Batuteras New Millenium had some fun at the parade. If you know any Puerto Ricans, you must know they love to dance and that was shown in the traditional dance form of plena. Another treat were the Banda Revolucion de Ponce with their marching band. They could have given most NYC HS bands a run for their money. One thing was very clear in this parade. Puerto Ricans love their cars and some of the hot rods displayed were way over the top. From new rides to the classics, cars of all kinds were driven blasting their hot salsa or reggaeton songs. One vehicle in particular drew the most attention and when you see the speakers on this tractor trailer cabin, you will know why. It was just crazy. Keeping up with the dancing talent was the Tanima group showing off their cool steps. Not too far behind them were the Dancers Dreamzzz students with some serious moves.
One of the more colorful displays of costume was the group from the pueblo of Luquillo. The stilt walkers were a crowd favorite. One of the better things of the parade is to showcase local salsa talent. In this case Willie Alvarez got the chance to dazzle the crowd and his band came through nicely. Salsa dancers had lots of fun showing off their moves and none had more fun than the SBK dancers from the Bronx. Rapper Tony Sunshine kept the celebration with some hot tracks and a party float. The crowd was rapping right along with him every step of the way. One of the best things to see is generation after generation coming out to see the parade. From Grandma to daughter to granddaughter all out to scream and yell for the culture and pride it feels to be Boricua.
YO SOY BORICUA PA QUE TU LO SEPA!!!!
NYC Parade Life 
Everything was amazing but BATUTERAS NEW MILLENIUM ARE THE BEST. Their music sounds clear and had a puertorican flavor. Their apparel are very beatifull. And the participants are very talented.