Columbus Day Parade on NYC's Fifth Avenue

Manhattan's Fifth Avenue will be transformed into a celebration of Italian-American culture on October 10, 2011. The parade celebrates the spirit of exploration and courage that inspired Christopher Columbus’s 1492 expedition and the important contributions Italian-Americans have made to the United States. The 67th annual Columbus Day Parade steps off at 11:30 a.m. at 44th Street. The parade route follows Fifth Avenue to 72nd Street.

Parade spectators will be entertained by cast members of the musical, “Italian: The Magical World of the Italian Fairy,” in full costume, who will perform pantomime skits along the parade route. Starring the charismatic Simona Rodano, the musical will be performed later in the month at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College. The parade also pays tribute to men and women from the uniformed civil service departments of New York City, who help make the city run efficiently and keep it safe and one of the most visited and admired places in the world. 

More than 35,000 marchers and 100 bands and floats participate in the parade each year. The parade is organized by the Columbus Citizens.