Sa’Phyire Batista flashes a peace sign while waiting for the parade to begin.
Reminder Publishing photo by Sarah Heinonen
SPRINGFIELD — The music, the pageantry, the celebration. The 2024 Springfield Puerto Rican Parade had it all on Sept. 15. Thousands of people lined a two-mile stretch of Main Street to watch the parade, which had so many people participating that it took an hour and a half to pass by.
Springfield is home to the largest Puerto Rican population in Massachusetts. A tradition in the city for 34 years, the Springfield Puerto Rican Parade celebrates the Puerto Rican diaspora and brings the community together each year. This year’s theme was “Magia Boricua,” or “Puerto Rican Magic.”
Most of the city’s schools participated in the parade, as did Springfield’s Police and Fire departments and the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department. Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia represented his city, where nearly 48% of residents are of Puerto Rican Heritage.
The parade was followed by a block party at Tower Square Park, sponsored by White Lion Brewing Co. and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and salsa dancing at MGM Springfield.
