Despite heavy rain, Councilman Robert Holden marched in the Pulaski Parade in honor of General Casimir Pulaski, a Revolutionary War hero of Polish descent.
The parade, held on Sunday, Oct. 2, on Fifth Avenue, has become an annual celebration of Polish American heritage.
Thousands of Polish Americans marched in the streets of New York representing schools, youth and sports organizations, folk dance groups, businesses and parishes of the tri-state area.
Representatives of the Polish government and distinguished members of the community also attended, including Mayor Eric Adams, Konrad Fijołek Prezydent Rzeszowa and Consul General Adrian Kubicki.
“I’m proud to represent a district with a large, vibrant Polish community,” Holden said.
Holden also marched alongside P.S. 71 of Ridgewood, P.S. 153 of Maspeth and the Polish and Slavic Federal Credit Union.
Pulaski is responsible for the name of the bridge connecting Brooklyn and Queens, the Pulaski Bridge. The parade attracts thousands every year, and it is a display of the great Polish American population in the city.
The parade was themed Marching with Heart, Soul & Love of Polonia. It moved through Fifth Avenue from 36th Street to 53rd Street. It is one of New York City’s oldest ethnic parades, dating back to 1937.
The parade is held annually on the first Sunday of October and closely coincides with the Oct. 11 General Pulaski Memorial Day, a national observance of his death at the Siege of Savannah.
