JERSEY CITY — The Jersey City Puerto Rican Heritage Festival and Parade Committee held a gala banquet on Friday to celebrate the 50th annual Puerto Rican Parade, which takes place Sunday afternoon.
The banquet, held at Casino-in-the-Park in Lincoln Park, brought out hundreds to honor prominent Puerto Ricans taking part in the parade.
Among them was Laura Posada (pictured), wife of New York Yankees star catcher Jorge Posada, was named International Godmother for the parade. Posada, a co-founder of the Jorga Posada Foundation (which supports research into craniosynostosis, a birth defect that affects skull growth) gave a rundown of who Puerto Ricans are.
“We’re sweet, we’re kind, we’re fighters and we’re irresistable,” said Posada to rousing applause.
Also honored were Johnny Lozada — an early member of the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo — who is Grand Marshall of this year’s parade; Hudson County Freeholder Eliu Rivera, and Jersey City police officer Michael Camacho, injured in the July 2009 shootout that claimed the life of Detective Marc DiNardo.
The parade starts at 1 p.m., as thousands of spectators will come out to see the procession make its way from Lincoln Park on the city’s west side all the way to Grove Street in front of City Hall. Accompanying the parade is a festival at Exchange Place until 8 p.m. — RK
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