‘Our culture’: Orlando unites for Florida Puerto Rican Day Parade and Festival
Thousands packed downtown Orlando Saturday morning for the annual Puerto Rican Parade and Festival.
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The theme of this year’s parade was “Economic Growth and Business Opportunities” in Florida and on the island.
Island pride was palpable, from the bongo-playing to the bomba dancing. Hundreds lined the streets, dressed in red, white and blue for the parade and festival.
Read: 2023 Florida Puerto Rican Parade & Festival
Even the youngest participants were moving to the beat.
“This is our culture,” one visitor said. “We like to help people. We want to keep the culture alive.”
Read: Melao Bakery owner honored as Florida Puerto Rican Parade godfather
¡WEPA! Today, @SheriffMina and OCSO are celebrating the culture and heritage of our Puerto Rican residents at the Puerto Rican Parade in Orlando! pic.twitter.com/Wl30Twqsuq
— Orange County Sheriff's Office (@OrangeCoSheriff) April 22, 2023
The event also celebrated the town of Loiza, a community about an hour east of San Juan along the coast.
Read: Puerto Rico group helps local Hispanic community get connected to medical resources
“This is an honor for our town and many people from Loiza come here with me,” said Julia Nazario, the mayor of Loiza.
Loiza is a place of tradition with rich culture and strong African roots.
In the crowd, people had ties to different parts of the island, and they found themselves in Orlando for one reason - united in proudly waving the Bandera de Puerto Rico.
We had a great time joining our @citybeautiful community in celebrating Puerto Rico’s contributions, culture, and heritage at the Florida Puerto Rican Parade and Festival.🇵🇷💙 pic.twitter.com/2jqo5iFhsL
— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) April 22, 2023
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