Dominican Day Parade 2017 Launch

The 2017 Dominican Day Parade Launch hosted by Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer is at the United Palace in Washington Heights on Thursday, August 3, 3017 from 6:30-8:30pm.

Dominican Day Parade 2016 Launch

The Dominican Day Parade 2016 Launch was hosted by Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer at the United Palace in Washington Heights August 9, 2016.

The United Palace is a fully-restored 1930 movie palace that serves as a cultural center in Washington Heights, Manhattan.

Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer Explains the Dominican Day Parade

Keith Widyolar: What’s the importance of the Dominican Day Parade for New York City?

Gale A. Brewer: First of all the Dominican Day Parade has a wonderful new Parade Committee which is representative of the neighborhood and the community. Each and every one of them is a phenomenal person. That’s important in itself.

They are giving out scholarships. They are making the parade even more prideful than it ever was, in terms of their leadership. That’s number one.

Second, the community is special in many ways. Obviously, it has a long history in New York. Folks from Washington Heights and around the City are business people, academics, and city workers.

We are honoring many of the women today who are representative of the community. It’s a very industrious community. It’s a community that is proud of their homeland and proud to be New Yorkers. They contribute a whole lot to the City of New York.

I actually grew up on 82nd Street, that community way down on the Upper West Side was Dominican, so it’s not just Washington Heights, I want you to know. It’s a very exciting community for the City of New York.

Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer and New York State Senator Adriano Espaillat opened the ceremony

Dominican Day Parade Chair Angela Fernandez

Henry A. Garrido is the first Latino to head District Council 37, the largest municipal employees union in New York City.

Scott M. Stringer, Comptroller of the City of New York

Fatima Hernandez, Dominican Day Parade Scholarship winner gets the attention of Parade Chair Angela Fernandez & Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer

Dominican Day Parade Scholarship winner Fatima Hernandez gets the attention of Parade Chair Angela Fernandez & Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer

Dominican Day Parade Honors Exceptional Dominican New Yorkers

Dominican Day Parade Honoree Rayza Galvez, New York Police Department Detective

Dominican Day Parade Honoree Lisette Caesar, Founding Principal, PS 375 Mosaic Preparatory Academy, East Harlem

Dominican Day Parade Honoree Lissette Vazquez, Sergeant & Veteran, NY Army National Guard

Dominican Day Parade Honoree Jackie-Michelle Martinez, Firefighter, New York Fire Department, Engine 275

Los Andulleros de Santiago USA Dance for the Dominican Day Parade

Los Andulleros de Santiago USA is a metro New York-based Dominican dance company that celebrates the Carnaval traditions of Santiago, Dominican Republic.

Santiago is famous for its Diablo Cojuelos (Limping Devils). The Devil limps because he hurt himself falling out of heaven. The idea is to scare away evil. There is a reference in Miguel de Cervantes’ “Don Quixote” of a devil dressed in mirrors and bells who uses an inflated animal bladder as his weapon. During Carnaval every February the people of Santiago compete to make the most impressive costumes.