ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Wave your bandera: Boricua pride will be on full display this weekend.
The Puerto Rican Day Parade and Festival returns on Sunday, July 23.
The annual celebration is hosted by the Puertorrican Culture Preservation, or PRCP, an organization that works to strengthen the community by fostering Puerto Rican heritage through entertaining events.
- The Puerto Rican Parade and Festival kicks off Sunday, July 23 at Allentown City Hall
- The festival starts at 1 p.m. at Executive Education Academy Charter School
- Headliners include Puerto Rican singers Michael Stuart and Oscarito "El Mas Loco"
The route
The festivities begin with a flag-raising at 11 a.m. at Allentown City Hall, 435 Hamilton Street.
The parade then kicks off at noon at N. Fifth and Hamilton Street and will travel East on Hamilton towards River Front Drive to Front Street and Tilghman. It then will make a right at Tilghman Street Bridge ending after the bridge.
Attendees will be able to see creative floats designed by business owners and locals that symbolize the Puerto Rican towns they once called home.
Música, baile
Meet parade marchers and organizers at the fiesta, which starts at 1 p.m. at the Executive Education Academy Charter School, 555 Union Boulevard.
Bring your salsa moves: performers at the festival include local groups, Herencia Jibara, Nuni and Baby Jaon.
Puerto Rican singers Michael Stuart and Oscarito "El Mas Loco" headline the event.
Tienes antojos: food trucks will be serving Latin cuisine such as empanadas, arroz con pollo, arroz con grandules, amarillos and tostones, along with beverages.
Additionally, there will be vendors selling Puerto Rico flags, apparel and handmade crafts.
Become the next Miss Queen PR
Meet local royalty: Miss Little PR, Miss Teen PR, Miss Queen PR and the reigning Mr. Little King PR, Mr. Teen King PR and Mr. King PR will be in attendance.
PRCP's pageant organizers will also be on the look out for the next Leadership Coronation contestants (ages 6-21) to march in the 2024 parade and represent the community at other celebrations.
Attendance to the parade is free. Tickets to the festival start at $5 for adults, $1 for children.
Parking is $7 or $10 for VIP.
