Held annually the second weekend of June, the two-day Puerto Rican festival and parade is something you either won''t want to miss...or, plan to avoid all together. Rivaling St. Patrick''s Day, and Brooklyn''s Labor Day West Indian Carnaval as NYC''s largest ethnic celebration, this notorious blow-out has grown to become the National Puerto Rican event drawing participants from all over the U.S. and island.
Activities get underway around 10:00 a.m. on Saturday morning with the street festival which is marked out in the streets of Spanish Harlem in the form of a Latin cross - but the celebration is anything but holy. The epicenter is the intersection of 3rd Ave. and 116th St. with a mind-boggling assortment of attractions catering to a sea of revelers.
You''ll find vendors selling goods typical of any NYC street fair as well as boothes selling the best of Puerto Rican and other assorted food and drinks. The biggest attraction is the music. As many as eight concert-size stages with jumbo-tron screens are set-up about every six blocks featuring non-stop performances from some of the biggest Latin recording artists in the Salsa business.
On Sunday, the parade begins at 12:00-noon from 42nd St. and runs up 5th Ave. to 86th St. An estimated 1-million people line the Avenue 15+-deep to celebrate every aspect of Puerto Rican life on full, vibrant display. As if deafening sounds of music blasting from floats and island high school bands aren''t enough echoing though the canyoned streets, you''ll find the infectious rumble from the crowd all but contagious; everyone screaming and cheering full-tilt unless blowing on shrill sounding whisltes sold along the parade route. Your enjoyment levels will determine just how much you want to participate and see: the parade often lasts upwards of 6 hours making for a long stand in the June temps - commonly in the 90''s.
Perhaps you''ll recall the national headlines after the 2000 parade when a band of marauders went on a ''scope and grope'' spree sexually assaulting innocent bystanders? So is the parade something safe? At either event, you''ll still quickly note signs of guys responding to the ladies and their questionably provocative manner of dress and behavior. Expect the alcohol to be flowing freely.
For the parade, crowds and their control have seemed to be a lot more civil between 42nd and 59th Sts. with levels decreasing the farther north you go. Your greatest threat will likely come to your eyes/face getting hit by tips of mini-flags being fervidly waved by everyone in the dense crowd. Otherwise, just be aware, act accordingly and enjoy what it means to be Puerto Rican for a day.