Puerto Rican parade returns after COVID pause
The big day has arrived for the Puerto Rican community and Latinos in Central Florida.
After being postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, the traditional Puerto Rican Parade and Festival of Florida will be celebrated in downtown Orlando today. The event starts at 11 a.m. on Concord Street near Orange Avenue and culminates in front of the Dr. Phillips Center on Church Street.
“We are very happy with the support we have received, and this validates what the board has always believed: that there is interest for this type of activity to take place,” said Ralph Morales, president of the Puerto Rican Parade Inc.
Morales stressed that people are being urged to be responsible with the COVID situation and to “try to keep their distance, use masks as much as possible when they are close together, and especially if they are sick, we ask them not to go. We want to show that we can continue to hold our event safely.”
The parade and festival have been held to promote “the achievements of Puerto Ricans in business, health, music, science, the arts and government,” Morales said.
“Puerto Ricans from all Florida cities and surrounding states are encouraged to attend,” he said. “Friends and families of the participants
and spectators are invited to join in this annual celebration that is destined to become a historic event for families from all over the region and Puerto Rico to come together.”
The cultural celebration was canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic. In 2021, event organizers were able to reactivate efforts so that the Puerto Rican flag, the seasoning, the music and the joy of Isla del Encanto return to the streets
of downtown Orlando at this iconic stop.
“After living through one of the most challenging years for our community due to the pandemic, we are optimistic that in this new year we will be able to return to normalcy and celebrate our Puerto Rican heritage and culture in a responsible and safe way,” Morales said.
This year the parade will recognize and be dedicated to the first responders who have fought against the
coronavirus virus for almost two years. In addition, the parade is dedicated to the municipalities of Moca and Cabo Rojo.
After the parade, the event will feature a stage with artists such as Andrés Jiménez, el jíbaro, Frankie Negrón’s salsa, the Algarete band and Puerto Rico’s Límite 21 among others, giving a ray of hope to the entertainment industry hit hard by the cancellation of events that draw crowds.
“The organization hopes to revive Downtown Orlando as a venue for largescale entertainment events for the whole family and contribute to the revitalization of the local economy,” Morales said.
For the Puerto Rican community, the largest Hispanic population in Central Florida, it is the opportunity to recover the Hispanic event that took place each of the three years prior to the pandemic.
Like the famous Puerto Rican Parade in New York, the parade in the City Beautiful celebrates the heritage, culture, values and traditions of the island, as well as the contributions of Puerto Ricans in the state of Florida and the nation.
As part of the celebrations, there will also be an “Official Reception of our Gold medalist in the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, Jasmine Camacho Quinn, and our Olympic athlete Andrés Arroyo, welcoming them in a big way in this celebration of the fifth anniversary of the Florida Puerto Rican Parade. & Festival,” according to the parade organizer’s press release.
“Our athletes have been a great representation of our culture. That is why we also have the 5K: to highlight health and athletics,” Morales said, referencing a race that took place the Saturday before the festival is being held.
In the activity in front of the Dr. Phillips Center, Morales assures that “there will be everything for you to enjoy the day.”
“Several floats are coming, many more than we have had in the past.” he said. “I think the number of floats is doubling. There are school bands, music, food, fun and, above all, culture.”
The event will be broadcast by WFTV Channel 9.
Those interested in getting more information and details should visit the page floridapuertoricanparade.org.