Hispanic Heritage Month Ends With A Grand Finale Parade on 5th Avenue

Start of a Grand Parade

A month long celebration of National Hispanic Heritage finished with one of the largest parades of its kind in the world. Each Spanish speaking country in the Western Hemisphere and Mother Country, Spain, sent representatives to display costumes, dance, folkloric tradition and great pride to the parade route on 5th Avenue. Revelers brought out their flags to display on the railings from 44th up to 66th streets.

Traditional Spaniard Dancers

Flamenco Style Dancers

Tango Dancers Heating Things Up

Right around noon, the mounted police signaled the start of the parade. This year, the honorary lead band was a Brooklyn-based Panamanian Bugle and Drums Corp blaring their trumpets and beating the drum while a large group behind them displayed each participating nations flag. They handled the prestigious honor with style and set the tone for what would be an amazing day of cultural pride.

Spanish Artist Leyton Showing His Work

Happy Venezuelan

Bolivians Taking Over

Parade VIPs and dignitaries march up the parade route to the reviewing stands and stage for the televised portion of the parade on 64th street. There are judges present to award a particular group for best cultural representation. As usual, Spain leads the way with artists, traditional attire and music to get the crowd worked up. Participating countries proceed in alphabetical order. Argentina got things under way with a group of amazing tango dancers.

San Simon Caporales Kicking It in High Gear

Chilenos Handkerchief Dance

Birds of a Feather…

Each year, one of the largest groups to participate are the Bolivians. Their diverse culture has Tincus, Morenales, and the high energy San Simon Caporales in their sparkling costumes. They have hundreds of marchers with some of the most colorful costumes of the parade. They were soon followed by the cowboy clad group from Chile. Another large group with colorful costumes comes from Colombia. They had a group dressed as birds as Colombia is known as the #1 country for bird watching. A group dancing cumbia, a traditional dance, showed off their moves.

Costa Ricans Having Fun

Cafe Tarrazu Group Makes Some Noise

Dominican Lechones Taking Selfies

Costa Rica was a surprise hit with a snazzy marching band called Banda Municipal Cafe Tarrazu. The band came up from Costa Rica just for the event and they played very well. The Dominican Republic had some playful diablos called Lechones. I caught a pair taking a selfie. Ecuador sent their traditional dancers. El Salvador had two marching bands from Boston to compete. The first one, Banda Sombrero Azul got things warmed up for a perennial favorite, Banda El Carbonero. Guatemala and Honduras were well represented.

Puerto Rico Is Rising Again

Aztec Nation Wants to be Heard

Folkloric Mexican Danza de Los Tecuanes

Mexico had a nice variety of cultural representation with mariachi singers, Aztec dancers, and a group doing La Danza de Los Tecuanes, an agricultural folkloric tradition of chasing away the jaguar. Mixed in the large Mexican group were representatives from Nicaragua and Puerto Rico. Another group getting larger each year comes from Paraguay. One of the most impressive groups comes from Panama. The females wear the traditional polleras and the men wear the guayaberas. Panama had two bands that stole the show. The military style Instituto America from Panama City, Panama was well choreographed. They were followed by the Centro Cultural China Panamena which displayed an Asian influence.

Stunning Panamanian Float

Military Band From Panama

Uruguayan Drummers Playing Candombe Music

Peru had a smaller group than in previous years. Not sure what happened this year. Uruguay took to the streets again with their bright colored drummers playing Candombe, an African influenced dance with scantily clad dancers getting everyone worked up. Venezuela closed out the parade with colorful costumes.

Paraguayan Marchers

Happy Panamanians

Venezuelans Marching with Pride

No other parade in the city other than the Dance parade brings as many various cultures together. Hispanics share the same language but have a wide variety of traditions, cultural influences and their own story to tell. In this one parade, it’s all on display for the city and all Hispanics to be proud of.