Joy and Unity in

Wonder why there were so many yellow, blue and red flags waving in Queens this past weekend?
On Sunday, more than 100,000 Colombians, as well as Mayor Michael Bloomberg, came from the tri-state area dressed in their nations typical attire to celebrate, with rhythmic music, their unity and peace in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. It was a jubilant celebration commemorating Colombian Independence only one of the events during July celebrating unity among the Colombian community of Queens.
Almost 200 years ago, Colombia won its Independence from Spain, and 10 years ago immigrants from that South American country started the Colombian Independence Festival, which takes place at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.
"Seorita Colombia," Catherine Daza and Alejandro Medina from Spanish Channel 47, hosted the event which included delicious traditional food, as well as pulsating Colombian music, known as vallenatos and cumbias. This annual gala, always held in mid-July, took place one week earlier because of a schedule conflict with Mets baseball. But Colombians seemed not to mind.
The festival gathered crowds of people from New Jersey, Connecticut and New York who danced and partied until the sun went down. But the month-long party is not over yet. Colombians will take to the streets on Sunday, July 25, to march down Northern Boulevard for the Colombian Independence Day Parade.