A day to celebrate

Bright sunlight and huge crowds greeted hundreds who turned out on Sept. 25 for the annual Dominican-American Parade down Bergenline Avenue through North Bergen, West New York, and Union City.
Starting at 80th Street, the parade was led by Union City Mayor Brian Stack and Rep. Albio Sires (former mayor of West New York) and other officials from all three towns.
Ruddy Andrade, CarePoint Health director of community relations, served as grand marshal.
On a stage set up at 43rd Street in Union City, El Nene, Maria Diaz, Miguel Miguel, and others performed. Others honored in the parade were Juan Gutierrez, Maria Diaz, Angel A. Vazquez, Cosiris Rodriguez, El Nene la Amenaza, Jullisa Parades, Rafael Vasquez, Elvito Baez, Dr. William Duke, Juan Aquino, and RC La Sensacion.
The parade also included the Hoboken High School Marching Band, West New York High School Marching Band. and Weehawken High School Marching Band, as well as a number of floats celebrating local politicians such as Union City Mayor Brian Stack. and local businesses.
Thousands of people lined the streets for the 40 blocks of the parade, and often interacted with Disney characters, as well as many of the colorfully decorated dancers.
The police had a significant presence along the route including police observers located on the top of vehicles, partly due to a threat earlier in the week made against the West New York police and the troubling events that took place in Seaside Heights and New York City in which small bombs were exploded near large crowds.