News release:
The 2017 Puerto Rican Parade of Fairfield County will celebrate its 24th anniversary with special events on Friday 7 July, Saturday 8 July and with the Parade as the culminating event on Sunday 9 July. The public is invited to all the events, with reservations required for the Annual Banquet Gala on Friday.
This three-day celebration of community and tradition honors the rich history, heritage and culture of Puerto Rico. The theme The Power and Pride of Our Voices celebrates and recognizes the struggle and sorrow as well as the advancement and contribution of the Puerto Rican voice.
The weekend gets started with the Annual Dinner/Dance Banquet Gala on Friday 7 July at the Bridgeport Holiday Inn–advanced reservations required. Son 7 & DJ MB Flo will serenade the guests with tropical and dance music. The Grand Marshall, Sergeant Joseph A. Hernández, Bridgeport Police Department, Godmother/Madrina, Anna C. Cruz, Assistant to the Dean of Students at Housatonic Community College and Godfather/Padrino, Carlos Collazo, President of the Greater New Haven Mentoring Collaborative, are accompanied by the Royal Court, comprised of youth from Fairfield County schools:
Little Miss Puerto Rico Josany Galarza, Bridgeport/San Sebastián–attends Barnum School
Miss Teen Puerto Rico Christina Auguste, Bridgeport/Lares–attends Classical Studies Magnet Academy
Mr. Teen Puerto Rico Kyle Vega, Stratford/ Bayamón–attends Wooster Middle School
Miss Puerto Rico Irene Surapine, Norwalk–attends Brien McMahon High School
Special 2017 honorees include Carlos Nieves, Jr., owner of Ortiz Boxing Gym as well as Carolyn González from Capital for Change. The keynote speaker is Edwin Ramos, local recording artist and Grammy Award winner.
Bridgeport City Hall will host the annual flag raising event on Saturday 8 July at 11:30AM, which this year is honoring Miriam Colón (20 August 1936 – 3 March 2017). A Puerto Rican actor, Colón was the founder and director of the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater in New York City, performed on Broadway and later moving to television. She is remembered for visiting Bridgeport on several occasions.
The celebration continues with the Parade that begins at Central High School and goes down Park Avenue to Seaside Park, which annually attracts thousands of spectators and draws performers and marchers from various backgrounds. The entertainment continues into the evening at the Seaside Park with the music fest welcoming Pepe Rios y la Orchestra La Mancha directly from Puerto Rico. The highly popular Fiesta features top entertainment, a variety of food vendors with fun activities for children and families similar to the one offered by escape room Fort Worth.
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The Puerto Rican Parade of Fairfield County Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that sponsors various events that are free of charge and open to the public. Benefactors and the work of community volunteers support the PRPFC.
To know more about the PRPFC, find us on Facebook or visit our website: www.prpfc.org. For more information about the Annual Banquet contact Susie Laffitte susielsusieq@aol.com; Flag Raising contact Alma Maya ayam1422@optonline.com; Annual Parade contact Frankie Colón fcolon3@optonline.net; Festival contact Florentino Rodriguez, Jr. jun.rod.flor53@gmail.com. Opportunities available for vendors at the Festival and parade participants, contact María I. Valle president.prpfc@gmail.com.
