Buffalo – Mayor Byron W. Brown today joined members of the Puerto Rican and Hispanic Day Parade Association of WNY for a flag-raising ceremony at Niagara Square, kicking off a series of events that celebrate Buffalo’s Hispanic Heritage. In preparation for the August 20th parade, flags representing Puerto Rico and all Hispanic countries will again align Niagara Street, also known as Avenida San Juan.
Mayor Brown stated, “As the Hispanic community in Buffalo continues to grow, it is with great pride we celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the parade and other festivities. Buffalo’s greatest assets are its people and its diversity, and the Puerto Rican and Hispanic Day Parade of Western New York and Festival highlight this. I thank organizers for their longstanding commitment to this event and encourage city residents and visitors to attend the upcoming festivities.”
The 20th annual Puerto Rican and Hispanic Day Parade of WNY is scheduled for Saturday, August 20th, starting at 12:00 pm in front of Buffalo City Hall. The parade will proceed down a stretch of Niagara Street, designated as Avenida San Juan in 2013 to recognize the growing Hispanic population. A festival will immediately follow in Niagara Square, featuring family-friendly activities, amusement rides and concerts.
According to Mayor Brown, Buffalo serves as a melting pot of different cultures, and it is this diversity that adds to the economic growth and improved quality of life citywide. Recent census data shows Buffalo’s population increased by about 17,000, largely thanks to the growing Hispanic communities in the city. Since 2006, Mayor Brown has supported and partnered with the local Hispanic community in a number of ways, from organizing food drives and outreach to those in need during the pandemic, leading relief efforts to support victims after a devastating hurricane in Puerto Rico, to investing in the Miss Borinquen Leadership Development Program, and other Hispanic Cultural organizations and events.