Get ready for an exciting celebration of Puerto Rican culture, history and pride at the 2023 National Puerto Rican Day Parade. The parade will be celebrating it’s 66th year. Recently the organizers shared the theme for 2023 and amazing group of honorees, including the Grand Marshall, Queen, Padrino and Madrina. Check out this year’s deserving recipients and participants.
The 2023 Theme
The iconic parade which is a staple of New York City culture, takes place on New York’s Fifth Avenue, on Sunday, June 11th beginning at 11am Eastern Standard Time. One million people are expected to attend the parade in 2023.
As in year’s past, this year’s procession features the best in Puerto Rican heritage and achievement. In 2023 parade participants will march 35 blocks up Fifth Avenue under the 2023 theme, Música, Cultura y Alegría (Music, Culture and Joy).
Of the 2023 parade, Lillian Rodríguez López, Chair of the Parade Board of Directors told the press, “[w]e are excited about the roster of 2023 Parade honorees, which features so many legendary and accomplished individuals in our community from both stateside and Puerto Rico cities; from New York City to Los Angeles and from Chicago to Aguadilla. We invite people from across the country to join us in commemorating our Música, Cultura y Alegría on the global stage that is Fifth Avenue.”
The Grand Marshall
Leading the procession will be television personality, actor and author, Giselle Blondet, serving as this year’s Grand Marshal. New York City born and raised in Puerto Rico, Blondet is one of the most iconic figures on Spanish-language television.
She began her career in Puerto Rico in the eighties and became a national figure after joining the cast of the world’s longest-running TV variety series, Sábado Gigante. She then went on to co-host Univision’s morning show, Despierta América, where she served for 8 years before hosting the primetime series, Nuestra Belleza Latina and Pequeños Gigantes. Blondet is now co-host of Telemundo’s daytime show, La Mesa Caliente.
Parade Queen
Joining Blondet in the procession and representing Puerto Rican communities in both Los Angeles and Chicago will be actor, Justina Machado. Machado is serving as this year’s Parade Queen. She is best known for her role as Penelope Alvarez in the 2017 remake and hit TV series One Day at a Time. She will next be seen leading a new Amazon Prime Series The Horrors of Dolores Roach, the 8 episode series is is set in NYC’s Washington Heights and premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival on Thursday, June 15th.
Padrino & Madrina
Marching as as Padrino is television and film actor, Ismael Cruz Córdova. Córdova came onto the national scene playing the role of Mando in Sesame Street. Since, he has appeared in films like Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, as well as TV series like Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities and Showtime’s Ray Donovan.
This year’s parade Madrina is none other than singer, radio personality and freestyle icon – Judy Torres. Affectionately known as the “Queen of Freestyle,” Torres has had enormous success singing the popular NYC-born musical genre, Freestyle, for over 35 years.
Don’t miss out on this exciting parade! The National Puerto Rican Day Parade airs on ABC, Channel 7 in New York at 12 noon Eastern Standard Time. The festivities will also streamed on the station’s website, abc7NY.com, and on the station’s free news and connected TV apps on Amazon FireTV, Android TV, Apple TV and Roku.
For more information about the Parade and a full calendar of events, visit www.nprdpinc.org.
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