71st annual Parade of Nations march in Downtown Norfolk

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Colorful flags and floats rolled down Waterside Drive for the 71st annual Parade of Nations, during the Virginia International Tattoo.

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The one of a kind parade, honors the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, known as NATO, proudly displaying every NATO member Nation.

“Today, We celebrate freedom … and 75 years since the creation of NATO,” said Colonel Dimitrios Miniotakis, Greek National Liaison Representative (OF5) GRC Air Force.

Previous Coverage: Norfolk NATO Festival this week, celebrate 75 years of NATO

City Leaders including Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander, Norfolk Police Chief Mark Talbot and Norfolk Sheriff Joseph Joe Baron led the parade following the Grand Marshall writer and co-executive producer of ‘The Simpsons’ Rob LaZebnik.

“I saw an article that [LaZebnik] wrote about it turning 60,” said Gary Bonnewell, Norfolk NATO Festival Chairman. “He wanted to do 60 unique things. I wrote to him. I said, ‘Would you like to be our Grand Marshal?’ He replied back, ‘How could I turn that down?’ The rest has just been a lot of fun. He’s a wonderful man.”

Bonnewell said in total 32 NATO are part of the parade.

“We’ve got the New Sweden float,” Bonnewell said. “Also last year, Finland joined, so we’ve have a Finland float, [as well as] lots of marching bands units.”

WAVY-TV 10 is a proud sponsor for the parade, some of your favorite journalists were allowed to walk in the parade.

Learn more about the Virginia International Tattoo by clicking here.

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