ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The sounds of upbeat music and smells of delicious food means the return of the Lehigh Valley Puerto Rican Parade and Festival.
It happened all day Sunday in Allentown, and folks say it’s a place for people and their cultures to connect.
“Show up, be proud, be proud of being Puerto Rican, and then, you know, raise our flag,” said Edmarie Rodríguez Medina, who was named the parade’s 2026 “Godmother.”
The Lehigh Valley Puerto Rican Parade is back! The event was immediately followed by hours of festivities at the Allentown Fairgrounds.
“I feel really good. The music’s really good. The food’s good,” festival attendee Maya Rivera Gutierrez said.
“It’s perfect. Over here in Pennsylvania is beautiful. The day, the weather, everything is beautiful,” added Marcos Rodriguez, another attendee.
It’s a day when the island of Puerto Rico comes to us here in the Lehigh Valley.
“Rather than just going to an island to connect, they can connect all in the city,” Maya said.
“It feels like family,” Rodríguez Medina said. “It feels like you’re being in Puerto Rico actually in an event.”
“For me, it’s really important to celebrate the Puerto Rican parade here in the Lehigh Valley because we have a lot of culture to actually share with the youngest, with our next generation,” Rodríguez Medina said.’
The celebration was complete with delicious food options. Vendors served up traditional favorites like pastelillos, alcapurrias, pinchos, and bacalaítos.
“It’s authentic. That’s what I say. It’s authentic from the heart, the love,” festival-goer Jimmy said.
It’s a place where Puerto Rican heritage, along with other cultures, can connect.
“Not only our culture, a mix of cultures all having a great time,” Jimmy said.
“A lot of people are from Puerto Rico and everyone’s just connecting one-on-one, and I think it’s really good,” Maya said.