Puerto Ricans are ready to show off their heritage and pride across seven cities in Connecticut this summer.
“Yo soy Boricua (I am Boricua),” chanted Joe Rodriguez, board president of the Puerto Ricans United in New Haven, as he greeted press and lawmakers at the Capitol. Other Puerto Rican organizers, legislators and supporters responded, “Pa'que tu lo sepas (Just so you know).”
The Coalition of Connecticut Puerto Rican Parades & Festivals organizers gathered in Hartford to unveil their slate of summer events on Wednesday.
Rodriguez said festivals and parades do more than preserve Puerto Rican culture—they serve as an economic boon for the state.
“Lodgings being booked across Connecticut for people that are visiting these events,” Rodriguez said. “Local restaurants are benefiting from these summer events, from parking garages, parking meters, in which local municipalities benefit from, when our guests come to our cities for these events.”
Festivals and parades are planned June through September in cities like New London, Bridgeport, Waterbury and Hartford. Cities also have ceremonial flag raisings, cultural pageants and a little something for everyone.
“There's salsa, música típica [traditional music]. There's freestyle, there's family activities. Literally, we attract Puerto Rican, Latino, white, Black, you name it,” Rodriguez said. “It's an attraction for all.”
These events also promote community work, like fundraising, Rodriguez said, and they support local businesses by bringing a boost to Connecticut’s economy with Boricua pride.
“It’s going to be an exciting, exciting summer,” Rodriguez said.
A full list of the events can be found below.
The Boriken Festival
Ocean Beach Park, Saturday, June 14 at 1 PM
Puerto Rican artists will be featured at the Boriken Festican, including rising star of salsa music Christian Alicea, the full Choco Band with merengue tunes and Movimiento Cultural from New Haven with bomba music.
Puerto Rican Parade of Fairfield County Inc. - Bridgeport
Flag Raising
45 Lyon Terrace, Saturday, July 12 at 1 PM
Puerto Rican Parade
Park Avenue to Seaside Park, Sunday, July 13 at 11 AM
The theme for this year’s parade in Bridgeport is “Unidad Boricua. Nuestra fuerza, nuestro destino,” which means, “Boricua unity. Our strength and our destiny.” The parade will go down Park Avenue and end at Seaside Park where festivities will begin at 1 PM. Music will range from urban funk salsa to traditional salsa and a mix of eclectic fun music in between.
Puerto Rican Social & Cultural Festival of New Britain
Puerto Rican Society Club at 152 High Street, Saturday, July 26
After taking a long hiatus due to the pandemic, the New Britain Puerto Rican festival returned last year and is back again this year. There will be food trucks and live music on High Street for all to enjoy.
Meriden Puerto Rican Festival
Hubbard Park, Sunday, August 3
The Puerto Rican festival in Meriden will have several bands performing to showcase Puerto Rican culture, including jíbaro music, a traditional folk music genre from the island. Organizers are also working to incorporate into the festival five $1,000 scholarships for students.
Puerto Ricans United Inc. - New Haven
The Puerto Rican Festival of New Haven
New Haven Green, Saturday, August 9
The New Haven Green will welcome all with local bands, local artists and around 10 food trucks featuring food not just from Puerto Rico, but from various Latin American countries. It’s an event for folks to get a taste of Puerto Rican and other Latino cultures.
Waterbury Puerto Rican Parade and Festival
Saturday, September 6
The 38th Annual Puerto Rican Flag Raising & Puerto Rican Mayor of the Day Ceremony
Waterbury City Hall, 10 AM - 12 PM
The 3rd Annual Puerto Rican Parade
Downtown Waterbury to Library Park, 12 PM
Bori-Fest
Library Park, 1:30 PM - 7 PM (Rain Date: Sunday, September 7)
Puerto Rican festivities will be a full-day affair in Waterbury. Throughout Saturday, September 6, there will be a number of events, including a flag raising at city hall, a parade going right through downtown Waterbury and then a festival at Library Park at 267 Grand Street with music, food and local vendors.
CICD Puerto Rican Parade, Inc. - Hartford
Festival del Coqui
Bushnell Park, Sunday, September 21
Closing out the parade season in Hartford is the 61st anniversary of the Greater Hartford Puerto Rican Day Parade and Festival del Coqui. This year’s theme is to “refine our cultural legacy.” In acknowledgement of that theme, organizers are asking community members to nominate silent heroes of the community. Nominations will begin May 1 and run through mid-June.
Learn more
Check out a list of the cultural organizations in the Coalition of Connecticut Puerto Rican Parades & Festivals.
