Puerto Rican Day Parade to Celebrate Culture, Community, and Diaspora Roots in 68th Annual March

The National Puerto Rican Day Parade announced its 2025 theme and honorees at a press conference in San Juan on Tuesday, outlining a celebration that will pay tribute to cultural heritage, community achievement, and diaspora identity. This year’s theme, Plantando Bandera (Planting Roots), recognizes how Puerto Ricans have established deep roots throughout the diaspora and have contributed significantly to the cultural, social, and economic fabric of their communities — locally, nationally, and globally.

The 68th Annual Parade will take place on Sunday, June 8, at 11 a.m. EDT, marching up Fifth Avenue in New York City. Organizers anticipate more than one million spectators for what remains one of the largest cultural celebrations in the United States.

Honoring Communities in Puerto Rico and the Diaspora

This year, the Parade will honor the municipality of Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico, and the Puerto Rican community of Atlanta, Georgia. Known as La Ciudad de las Aguas Claras (The City of Clear Waters), Aguas Buenas was founded in 1838 and is located south of San Juan in Puerto Rico’s Central Mountain Range. In Atlanta, the Puerto Rican population has grown significantly since the 1990s, now estimated at over 45,000, among the top 20 U.S. cities for Puerto Rican residents.

“These communities exemplify our 2025 theme, Plantando Bandera,” said Lillian Rodríguez López, chair of the Parade’s Board of Directors. “Each has contributed uniquely to the enrichment of our shared identity and the broader society.”

A Celebration of Tradition

The NPRDP will also pay tribute to La Parranda, a cherished Puerto Rican Christmas tradition in which groups of singers, or trullas, go door-to-door at night performing aguinaldos (holiday songs), gathering neighbors as they go. The practice, deeply rooted in Puerto Rican cultural and musical heritage, continues to thrive in communities across the mainland United States.

2025 Parade Royalty and Honorees

Headlining this year’s Parade are two iconic figures in music and entertainment: Olga Tañón, a six-time GRAMMY® winner, will serve as Queen of the Parade, while acclaimed actor Luis Guzmán will join her as King. Tañón, with more than 23 albums and 250 hit songs, remains one of the most influential voices in Latin music. Guzmán, known for roles in Boogie Nights, Traffic, and Netflix’s Wednesday, has been a fixture in film and television for over three decades.

Golden Globe-winning actress Gina Rodríguez will serve as this year’s Madrina (Godmother) of the Parade. Rodríguez, best known for Jane the Virgin, currently stars in ABC’s Will Trent and has several recent credits, including Not Dead Yet and Netflix’s Spy Kids reboot.

Elvis Crespo, the Grammy® and Latin Grammy®-winning merengue singer, will be honored as Padrino (Godfather). Known for his chart-topping hits like “Suavemente,” Crespo continues to shape the tropical music genre with newer audiences through fresh renditions of beloved songs.

Additional Honorees

The 2025 honorees represent a wide range of excellence in the arts, education, activism, and athletics:

• Lifetime Achievement Awards:

  • Dame Wilnelia Merced Forsyth, the first Miss Mundo Puerto Rico (1975), and a dedicated philanthropist.

  • Nitza Tufiño, visual artist and founder of El Museo del Barrio.

• Trailblazer:

  • Devon Rodrígue isz, portrait artist and social media personality.

• Orgullo Puertorriqueño:

  • José Rivera, Oscar-nominated screenwriter (The Motorcycle Diaries, 100 Años de Soledad).

  • Joyce Giraud, model and actress.

  • Rubén Natal San Miguel, fine art photographer and curator.

• Hijo de Borinquen:

  • Hermes Croatto is, singer and composer of Puerto Rican folk music.

• Athlete of the Year:

  • José Alvarado, NBA player for the New Orleans Pelicans.

• Ambassadors:

  • Deborah Martorell, an eight-time Emmy-winning meteorologist.

  • Mariana Reyes Angleró, executive director of Taller Comunidad La Goyco.

  • Bernard Carabello is, advocate for individuals with developmental disabilities.

  • Norberto Vélez, musician and creator of Sesiones desde la Loma.

  • Victor Ríos, filmmaker (Wages of Sin).

  • Sheila Torres Negrón is, founder of the Dialecto Boricua platform.

• Rising Stars:

  • Leonela Alejandro, classical guitarist and 2024 GFA Competition winner.

  • Pleneros de la Cresta, a youth ensemble dedicated to Puerto Rican plena.

• Influencer of the Year:

  • Dean Huertas is, activist and cultural content creator.

• Community Champion:

  • SER de Puerto Rico, celebrating 75 years of supporting people with disabilities.

• Education Honorees:

  • Awilda Quiñones-Canino, board chair of Supermercados Econo.

  • Frankie Miranda, president and CEO of the Hispanic Federation.

“We are proud of this year’s honorees and grateful for their participation and leadership,” Rodríguez López said. “We also thank our sponsors for their continued support.”

Sponsors and Media Partners

Sponsors of the 2025 Parade include: The Walt Disney Company and ABC7 New York, Modelo, Corona, JetBlue, Goya Foods, Manhattan Beer and Beverage Distributors, the Amazin’ Mets Foundation, Miranda Family Fund, Netflix, Popular Bank, Supermercados Econo, and Autografo.TV.

2025 Event Schedule

• 152nd Street Cultural Festival: May 31, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. (Jackson to Tinton Streets, Bronx)

• Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral: June 1, 4 p.m. (Fifth Avenue and E. 51st Street, Manhattan)

• Scholarship Gala Fundraiser: June 6, 6:30 p.m. (The Plaza Hotel, 768 Fifth Avenue)

• 68th Annual Parade: June 8, 11 a.m. (Fifth Avenue, 44th to 79th Streets, Manhattan)

• 
  

The Parade will be broadcast on WABC-TV Channel 7 at 12 p.m. EDT and streamed online at abc7NY.com and through the station’s connected TV apps.

For more information, visit www.prparade.org