Thousands flock to Puerto Rican parade in NYC - Caribbean Business Online - 14/06/09

The Associated Press - NEW YORK — The red, white and blue of the Puerto Rican flag on bandanas, shirts and beaded necklaces. Whirling dancers in sequined outfits. A sonic barrage of merengue, salsa and reggaeton. Ox-driven wagons from Mayagüez among the colorful floats. Most of all, hundreds of thousands of roaring celebrants. Crowds lined both sides of Fifth Avenue on Sunday for the National Puerto Rican Day parade, though one high-profile Puerto Rican was noticeably absent —Sonia Sotomayor, the New York-born federal appeals judge who is the first Latina nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court. Parade-goers said that her nomination had become a symbol of pride for many Latinos. The parade, as in past years, reflected the influence and achievements of Puerto Ricans and Latinos in the city. Politicians again strode up Fifth Avenue, among them Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Gov. David Paterson and New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine. Stars of television, film and music were greeted with cries of adoration. Besides dozens of musicians and bands, the famous included Bernie Williams, Jose Feliciano and Grupo Mania. The king of the parade, salsa star Victor Manuelle, said he was "super-excited and proud" to have been chosen for the honorary title. [Open link for full story.]