The Experience
Philadelphia’s Puerto Rican Day Parade puts the beauty, exuberance and resilience of Philly’s Puerto Rican and Latino communities on full display for the entire city to celebrate.
The massive, family-friendly event fills the Benjamin Franklin Parkway with 1,500 marchers and over 5,000 parade-goers, while almost 100,000 more watch at home.
Dancers, drumlines, marching bands and motorcades (including colorful floats, antique cars and other decorated vehicles) make their way from 18th Street to the most famous staircase in all of Philadelphia — rain or shine.
— Photo by R. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia
Longtime Philadelphia media personality Mina Say What hosts the parade again this year, as schools, community organizations and corporate sponsors march and dance along the route to the sounds of Latin music and poetry. Vibrant, traditional dance performances by artists of all ages punctuate the procession.
This year’s theme, “Raise Your Flag” or “Alza la Bandera,” calls on spectators and marchers alike to wave their flags unapologetically high and show off their Puerto Rican pride.
— Photo by B. Ballard for Concilio
One of the city’s largest and longest-running cultural traditions, the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade is organized by the Council of Spanish Speaking Organizations (Concilio), Philadelphia’s oldest organization serving Latino families.
