The German-American Steuben Parade Committee announced last week that Esther Carpenter of Richmond Hill has been crowned Princess of the 46th Annual German-American Steuben Parade.
Carpenter, 18, of Richmond Hill is proud of her German heritage and her German-born great-grandparents. Planning to start college this month, Carpenter, an avid athlete, has been a member of a track and cross-country team for three years. In her spare time, she volunteers as a summer camp for deaf children of the Richmond Hill Library.
Representing the German-American Steuben Parade will be an exciting opportunity for this German-American princess, she said.
The parade, the largest German-American event in the world, will step-off on New York’s renowned Fifth Avenue on Saturday, Sept. 20th with Mayor Michael Bloomberg as this year’s grand marshal.
“I am honored that these lovely young ladies will help lead this year’s parade,” sai William Hetzler, chairman of the parade committee. “Proud of their heritage, they represent the hundreds of thousands of young German-Americans in the tri-state area.”
“This year’s parade will prove to be the best one yet, with enthusiastic and dedicated participants ready to dazzle on-lookers with a colorful and traditional celebration.”
The parade will take place Sept. 20 at noon along Fifth Avenue, from 63rd to 86th streets. More than 12,000 marchers, including 32 floats and 30 bands from all over the world, will be on hand. A church service celebrated by Edward Cardinal Egan at 9:30 a.m. in St. Patrick’s Cathedral will precede the parade.
About the German-American Steuben Parade Committee: Hundreds of German-American organizations are represented. The Parade’s aim is to provide the American public in general and German-American civic leaders in particular with a reminder of the part played by Germanic immigrants and their descendants in the development of the United States of America.
The goal of the parade is to instill in people with Germanic heritage a deep-rooted sense of pride of origin and accomplishment.
For more information go to www.germanparadenyc.org.
Top (l. to r.) is Christine Friedrich, Heidi Grajcar, Esther Carpenter. Bottom is Danica Leili and Nicole Mattern.
