Beyond commemorating Columbus, the parade has also become a celebration of New Yorkers of Italian heritage. Bagpipes and Drums of the Emerald Society played Irish tunes, as the Thistle and Heathers Highland Dancers proudly represented Scottish dance.
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“I am happy to bring back people who were born and raised in this community, and then unfortunately, moved away”, he said. The Columbus Day Parade is a Chicago tradition from the songs and the queen to the marching bands and floats.
“I’m here to honor these cultures”, she said.
“Italian-Americans are hardworking people and they want to show how proud they are of their culture and heritage”, said Carolyn Reres, president of the state Order of the Sons of Italy. “And we have a holiday celebrating that guy”.
Schools are out and a few businesses are closed tomorrow for Columbus Day.
Anthony Roy, 29, who runs a website dedicated to changing the logo of the Chicago Blackhawks, was among the group of protestors.
In an interview just days before the parade, Fanelli said that she was very excited about the upcoming event. “It seems the only people that have learned from history are those scarred from it”. The real star of the parade was Italian-American pride. In turn, her friends accompany her to the St. Patrick’s Day parade. Organizers said Chicago’s parade is about diversity. The crowds were enthusiastic on a mild fall day, but the parade also annually elicits criticism.
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Seth Wenig/AP New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (second from left) poses for a picture with members of the Harlem Globetrotters before marching in the Columbus Day Parade in New York, Monday, October 12, 2015.
