Puerto Rican Festival kicks off Thursday at new location, Parcel 5

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The 54th Annual Puerto Rican Festival begins Thursday at 5 p.m. and runs through Saturday at Parcel 5 at 285 East Main Street. The event celebrates Puerto Rican culture, music, and food.

In the past, the festival was held at Innovative Field, followed by a parade in the North Clinton neighborhood in the past.

This year the Puerto Rican Parade and the Puerto Rican Festival are merging into one unified celebration of Puerto Rican culture and heritage. The two organizations have been separate since the festival restarted in 2000, but will now be organized and run by The Puerto Rican Festival.

This year’s event will be a celebration of “Represent Your Town,” inviting the community to showcase the unique spirit and pride of their hometowns. The merger aims to bring the community closer together, fostering a sense of unity and shared pride in Puerto Rican roots.

The “Represent Your Town” celebration is scheduled for Saturday starting at 12 p.m. There will be free admission into the Puerto Rican Festival from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The annual parade was canceled last year due to threats of violence. Security will be a focus this year, especially with Sunday’s mass shooting.

Security will also be checking bags at the festival.

News10NBC spoke with organizers on Tuesday, to learn more about the location change and what the event means to the community.

More information and tickets here.

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