Puerto Rican culture is being celebrated at Fifth Avenue’s 51st annual Puerto Rican Day Parade today.

What I am wondering about is why do we celebrate that day in the United States. We don’t have ‘italian’ day do we? what about that? I’m Italian but we don’t get a parade. People waving flags from other countries here in America where my grandfathers went to war in WW2 to protect America. We shouldn’t wave any flags other than the American flag in this here good old U.S.A.

I have nothing against Puerto Rico either. I have many Puerto Rican friends too living here in Massachusetts. I love puerto rican food!!!! I REALLY do. But all the same, let’s show some American pride too.
Thousands of exuberant people braved the severe heat to line the avenue to see the floats, bands, and marchers, and waved Puerto Rican flags in celebration.

The parade makes its way up Fifth Avenue from 44th Street to 86th Street by 4 p.m.

The parade began at 11 a.m., when Mayor Michael Bloomberg cut a ceremonial ribbon.

Pop singer Kat De Luna and bachata group Xtreme are performing at the parade, and union leader Dennis Rivera is this year’s grand marshal.

NY1 has a float in the parade, featuring reporter Jonathan Inoa and anchor Philip Klint and performances by the salsa group N’Klabe.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly marched for the first time in the parade, alongside the NYPD Hispanic Society and the NYPD Latino Officers Association. The NYPD points out that under Kelly’s rule, the number of Latinos in the police force have increased significantly.

City Comptroller Bill Thompson also marched in the parade.

“This is an opportunity for New York to celebrate Puerto Rican heritage and culture, and the contributions that Puerto Ricans have made to make New York City the greatest city on the planet,” said Thompson.

Viewers of the parade wanted to celebrate the best part of the commonwealth’s culture.

“Our people, our food, our music, and Puerto Rican Parade,” said one.

“The culutre, the language, the music — all of it, having fun,” said another.

“We’re beautiful people. That’s it, we’re beautiful people. It’s beautiful, Puerto Rico,” said a third.

Organizers say about 100,000 people went to yesterday’s 23rd annual 116th Street Festival, where dozens of vendors and entertainers took over the streets of East Harlem in anticipation of the parade.