Everybody was Boricua along Fifth Avenue yesterday for the 53rd Annual Puerto Rican Day Parade. Over three million spectators were estimated in attendance, standing several-people deep to get a look at Mayor Bloomberg, Governor Paterson, and parade royalty Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez. Many parade-goers began lining up hours before the starting time of 11 a.m. to get prime spots, and though the parade was limited to five hours and the route was cut, people were as excited as ever. Claudia Albarado, wearing a shirt reading "When I die and Heaven does not want me, take me straight to Puerto Rico," told WCBS, "I see all my people here. I'm very happy." However, the parade wasn't complete without some SNAFUs. more ›

The Puerto Rican Day Parade has been marching all day down 5th Avenue, drawing about three million spectators and most likely bringing traffic to a grinding halt throughout the city. However, due to new parade route rules, the parade was limited to five hours and shortened by 25%. But that didn't stop people from coming out. If you were there, share your photographs of the parade by tagging the "gothamist" on Flickr or email them to photos@gothamist.com. more ›

Today is the Puerto Rican Day Parade down Fifth Avenue. The festivities, which are expected to have around 80,000 marchers and 3 million spectators, begin at 11 a.m., starting at 44th Street and ending at 86th Street. The parade be airing on Fox 5 and MyFoxNY.com will have streaming video of the parade. This year's grand marshal or "godfather" is Marc Anthony, a last minute replacement after the original godfather stepped down to his past domestic abuse conviction. Share your photographs of the parade by tagging the "gothamist" on Flickr or email them to photos@gothamist.com. more ›

Earlier this week, criticism forced soap star Osvaldo Rios to step down as Puerto Rican Day Parade "godfather" (or grand marshal)—because he was convicted of domestic violence. Now Marc Anthony, salsa star and J.Lo's hubby, will be taking his place at this Sunday's parade. MyFoxNY reports, "Anthony was quoted as saying that he was very proud to receive the recognition from the parade organizers and the community. Anthony had initially intended to make only a brief appearance but cleared his schedule for his new starring role. It's unclear if his wife, Jennifer Lopez will appear with him at any point in the parade. The pair has appeared together at past parades." more ›

Soap opera star Osvaldo Rios has quit Sunday's Puerto Rican day parade over mounting controversy surrounding time he spent in jail for abusing his girlfriend. He said in a statement, "After discussing this issue with my wife, my children and Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, to whom I'm grateful for her wise words, my family and I have decided ... not to attend the parade and promote the unity and the consensus between the Puerto Rican people at such a great event." Rios marched in last years parade without controversy, even though he abused his girlfriend all the way back in 1996. more ›

With just five days until the celebration, the controversy over soap opera star Osvaldo Rios' participation in the Puerto Rican Day Parade is heating up. Rios served three months in prison in 2004 for abusing his girlfriend in 1996, and community leaders say he isn't the type of person that should be representing the city's Puerto Ricans. Now, Chicago Rep. Luis Gutierrez has backed out as "state marshal" of the parade, and Verizon has withdrawn its sponsorship. more ›

City Council members are upset over the choice of singer and soap opera star Osvaldo Rios as the 2010 Puerto Rican Day Parade Godfather, and are threatening to boycott the parade. Rios, known for his roles in telenovelas like "Kassandra," served three months in prison in 2004 for abusing his girlfriend, leading council members to believe that he sets a bad example for the community. City Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito told WABC, "It's not a positive role model for my people, for my community and for our children. I personally will not march in the parade and I will ask other elected officials to consider doing the same thing." more ›

After three decades as a corporate sponsor, Captain Morgan rum has been ousted from the National Puerto Rican Day parade, because the company moved production from Puerto Rico to St. Croix. The U.S. Virgin Islands recently lured Captain Morgan and its parent company Diageo to St. Croix with a promise to share an anticipated $150 million in federal excise tax rebates on sales in the U.S. The move will cost Puerto Rico, where unemployment at 16%, about 3,000 jobs. "This parade is about pride and respect, and Captain Morgan has shown us neither," parade Chairwoman Madelyn Lugo tells the Daily News. more ›

Anywhere between hundreds of thousands to over a million revelers cheered on yesterday's Puerto Rican Day Parade along Fifth Avenue. Some told NY1, "Puerto Rican is one, we all are one, It's the pride of all Puerto Ricans in New York and in the island," and "Nobody understands how proud we are to be from Puerto Rico. Just to show that is an honor." more ›

Yesterday, the heat and crowds couldn't keep an estimated 2 million people from celebrating their heritage with the 51st Annual Puerto Rican Day Parade. As one 23-year-old woman told the Sun, "We're all from the island anyways. It's this hot in Puerto Rico, so I come no matter what. Everyone is proud of where we come from." more ›

One of the city's biggest parades will attract millions of revelers tomorrow: The 51st National Puerto Rican Parade starts at 11 a.m., with the parade route beginning on Fifth Avenue at 44th Street and traveling north to 86th Street. more ›

Well, according to a New York Magazine Intelligencer item, it might be Madison Avenue cafe Via Quadronno. The establishment "closes for just four days each year: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and a certain spring day."

A spokesman claims coincidence. “We close that day every year for internal construction,” he says. “The last day of the first week of June.” The Puerto Rican Day Parade is on the second Sunday of June each year.

Happy Father's Day! For those of you who have dads, are dads, or know dads, this one's for you, from all of us at the Gothamist network." more ›

To anyone attending next year's Puerto Rican Day Parade, we have this suggestion: Don't wear black-and-gold. At a press conference, parade organizers decried arrests of people who were not engaged in any illegal activity during Sunday's event. National Puerto Rican Day Parade president Madelyn Lugo said, "We are very disappointed and alarmed that these violations of civil rights should occur." more ›

There are new details surrounding Sunday's 208 arrests at the Puerto Rican Day Parade: According to the NY Times, the police still claim that people were arrested for "specific illegal behavior," like blocking traffic, and not because they were wearing colors of the Latin Kings gang. However:

Criminal complaints filed against 10 defendants show that the police were concerned about the risk that those arrested would engage in violent or threatening behavior or cause some public inconvenience. more ›

Yesterday's reports about the number of people arrested during the 50th annual Puerto Rican Day Parade were incorrect: While numbers like 80 and 173 were offered, today the NY Times reveals 208 people were arrested, due to police concerns about the Latin Kings. However, there's some question as to whether more people without gang connections were arrested during the sweep. more ›

Fifth Avenue was packed with revelers and performers during the 50th Annual Puerto Rican Day Parade. Celebrities, like "King" Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, were out in force, as were the politicians, including Mayor Bloomberg, Governor Eliot Spitzer, Senator Charles Schumer, Representative Jose Serrano, and Puerto Rico governor Anibal Acevedo-Villa. more ›

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a shooting on Madison St. in Manhattan, a homicide on Wyckoff Ave and Himrod St. in Brooklyn, and an overturned auto on Hone and Mace Aves. in the Bronx.
• A trio of yeshiva students and their teacher were rescued from a 200-foot-high ledge by rapelling park police yesterday, after straying from a trail at Bear Mtn. State Park.
• The news of a crash that persists in Chinatown, as the rest of the city moves on with little notice.
• Di Fara fans get ready: Slice passes along the following info that the restaurant is getting ready to re-open Wed. or Thurs. of this week.
• A 26-year-old man was killed in a hit-and-run accident shortly after 4 a.m. last night as he was crossing Park Ave. South at 22nd St.
• Four people were shot on Lenox Ave. between 126th and 127th St. in Manhattan last night.
• A Queens state assemblyman wants Google to start blurring sensitive NY satellite images, like pipelines, airports, and other assorted targets.
• A nice rememberance of The New York Times Building in its heyday.

The Puerto Rican Day Parade is supposed to draw 2.8 million spectators to 5th Ave. in Manhattan this Sunday, making it one of the most popular annual parades in New York City. It's the 50th occurrence, so expect lots of enthusiasm from marchers, who will be heading north from 44th St. to 86th St. and entertained by Parade King Ricky Martin. more ›

The MTA announcement that alcohol would be banned from LIRR and Metro-North trains on St. Patrick's Day has caused quite a stir. The NY Sun has angry comments from barkeeps and even a State Senator. Irish State Senator Marty Golden said, "It definitely looks like stereotyping, and that's what the MTA should be faulted for. Some people do get out of control, but to focus on that day, and on certain segments of the population like that, is totally wrongheaded." Is that like Fifth Avenue apartment buildings putting up barriers during the Puerto Rican Day Parade? more ›

A very weird incident occured in Washington Square Park yesterday morning. Apparently a man put a stocking over his head and harrassed two couples with babies for a while, but then calmed down. The Post reports that the man climbed over a fence to the playground (though the gate was unlocked) and charged the couples a few times, and then climbed "the jungle gym and sat, Buddha-like, atop the kiddie-slide." It took a while for the cops to respond because many were getting ready for the Puerto Rican Day Parade. The masked fellow is being observed at Bellevue, but one of the fathers actually filed a complaint against the NYPD because reposnse took so long, saying, "There should be someone within a block or two of the park. The loonies are taking it over again." When did the loonies ever completely cede control of Washington Square Park? If anything, people try to not to notice the odd people because it frightens them. more ›

Hundreds of thousands of revelers enjoyed the beautiful weather and celebrated during yesterday's Puerto Rican Day Parade. And this year's theme was, "Boricuas...We count, We Vote!" Though Marc Anthony was the Grand Marshal, the real attraction was his wife, Jennifer Lopez. Mayor Bloomberg, who marched with the couple, said, "In the pictures tomorrow, I will be lucky if I am noticed at all." Anthony and Lopez ultimately needed the help of Guardian Angels to keep the paparazzi off them and keep moving along the parade route. And the couple was also there to promote their upcoming film, El Cantante, but the El Cantante float broke down towards the end of the route. more ›

- And speaking of commencement speaking celebrities, Mike Bloomberg yesterday told UChicago grads that "There is nothing — absolutely nothing — wrong with criticizing our government, on any topic, and challenging it to live up to the democratic ideals." Interesting. Unrelated, we hear that Hizzoner invited himself to speak yesterday and that UChicago administrators simply didn't know how to say no. more ›

- Finally, the irrepressible Stephanie Adams, Miss November 1992 and the first openly lesbian Playboy playmate, will not be put down! more ›

With the Puerto Rican Day Parade right around the corner, Mayor Bloomberg reminded Fifth Avenue buildings not to board up their properties. Many buildings along the parade's two mile route had taken to putting plywood on doors and windows, fearing rowdy crowds. While Puerto Rican Day parade violence has been a concern since the 2000 "wildings," the NYPD has made sure to step up patrols. Daily News says no buildings have been boarded up so far and that only police sawhorses have been put out, but 1035 Fifth Avenue told the Post they would put up a metal fence again, since people have climbed onto a window ledge in years past (last year, some buildings put panels and fences up) . more ›

While the accusations that two police officers groped a woman didn't pan out, it turns out that they were, in fact, drunk on the job near the Puerto Rican Day Parade. The police union says the woman had wanted to cross a police barrier, but wasn't allowed to do so...so it seems like she complained that they were drunk and groping her. Well, 1 out of 2 ain't bad. The NY Times says the police haven't found the alleged videotape of the police groping women, which the Post had alluded to yesterday. Police groping women on tape? They must have been seriously drunk. While the press is having a field day, since most controversy from the Puerto Rican Day parade has surrounded parade goers, the lawyers representing the two cops says, "We would ask people to reserve judgment until all of the facts are in. These are two active police officers - with hundreds of arrests between the two of them - who deserve the benefit of the doubt until the investigation is completed." Of course. But now Gothamist wonders, how come we never hear about police officers drinking during the St. Patrick's Day Parade? more ›

Yesterday's Puerto Rican Day Parade shimmered along Fifth Avenue, although there were some problems. In a nutshell, a police officer was slashed, gang members tried to crash the parade, three people were stabbed - 175 arrests all told. Oh, and two on-duty police officers were accused of groping women! The Daily News says that many men "wearing black-and-gold Latin Kings shirts" wanted to march, but the police claimed they found a gun and knives on them; a "self-proclaimed gang member" told the Daily News, "We just come over here to enjoy our day." And the police are investigating the groping incidents. While some people worry about Puerto Ricans being more "destructive" than other paraders the city sees over the year, Gothamist just thinks there's something about a parade with a lot of people in the sultry, steamy heat that must make people crazy - imagine if the St. Patrick's Day Parade were during the summer. Still, there's something pretty cool about seeing a flatbed truck, decorated with Puerto Rican flags and people, zooming down West End Avenue at 6PM. more ›

With the 10th Annual Puerto Rican Day Parade around the corner on Sunday, the Mayor is asking businesses along Fifth Avenue not to board up. In past years, violent incidents have caused damage to some stores and apartment buildings, making some owners think it's better to play it safe during the parade, which has had some controversy, most infamously the 2000 wildings in Central Park. For instance, the Post reports that metal fences are being put up at 1035 Fifth Avenue while tall green panels are being placed at 820 Fifth. Mayor Blooomberg is insinuating that these actions are an insult to Puerto Ricans, though some wonder if this is his way to gain Hispanic support. more ›

The Grand Marshall of the parade was the CEO of Banco Popular, Richard Carrion. More pictures at the Daily News. more ›