The Columbus Day Parade scheduled to take place on Monday (October 13) on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan was canceled at the last minute due to inclement weather. This festival, which has been celebrated since 1929, commemorates the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus who discovered the Americas over 300 years ago, and has since evolved into a celebration of Italian culture and the contributions of Italian Americans to the country and the world.
Starting from the evening of the 12th, a powerful storm hit the Northeastern United States, bringing strong winds with gusts up to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) and rainfall of up to 5 inches (about 13 centimeters) in the New York area, along with massive waves at the beaches, lasting until Tuesday. On Sunday evening, the organizers, the Columbus Citizens Foundation, announced the last-minute cancellation of the parade through the Fox 5 television station.
Every year, the Columbus Day Parade in New York is the largest celebration of Italian culture in the United States. Tens of thousands of marchers, floats, bands, and performers participate in the parade, with hundreds of thousands of spectators crowding along Fifth Avenue from 44th Street to 72nd Street to watch the festivities. Millions more tune in to watch the parade live on television.
The organizers have stated that the parade will not be rescheduled this year, but they welcome the public to join next year’s 82nd annual parade.
Christopher Columbus, as a great explorer, is a source of pride for Italians and a symbol of immigrants embarking on a new life. Over the years, the Columbus Day Parade has served as an effective tool for early Italian immigrants to combat discrimination. Today, it provides an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of Italian Americans.