Thousands of people packed the streets of downtown Yonkers over the weekend to celebrate heritage, culture and community. The crowds turned out for the 48th annual Puerto Rican Hispanic Day Parade, a long-running event that has become a fixture of the city's calendar.
The parade took over a familiar stretch of the city. The music, the flags and the energy filled South Broadway on Sunday as thousands gathered along the route to watch and take part in the celebration.
At its heart, the day was about bringing people together. The event celebrated Hispanic culture while drawing families, friends and visitors from across the region, turning the parade into a regional gathering rather than just a local one.
Organizers and attendees described an event that keeps growing. One participant called it one of the biggest parades they had seen, saying it continues to grow every single year and that anyone who does not come down is really missing something special.
The atmosphere was colorful and lively from start to finish. From colorful outfits to live music and dancing in the streets, attendees of all ages found something to enjoy, and some spoke of feeling proud as strangers complimented their outfits along the way.
For many in the crowd, the parade carried a deeper meaning. It was described as more than just a day of celebration, an opportunity to show pride in their culture and share it with others, with one attendee saying they were Boricua to the heart and that their whole family was proud.
Others return year after year to reconnect with where they came from. Some who grew up in Yonkers and later moved away came back to celebrate with loved ones, and as the parade made its way through downtown, many said it served as a reminder of the strength and pride of their community.