ALLENTOWN, Pa. \u2014 The Lehigh Valley Puerto Rican Parade will march down Hamilton Street in center-city Allentown on Sunday, July 19, returning to the corridor after recent editions were routed elsewhere in the city.<\/p>\n
The parade anchors a daylong celebration of Puerto Rican heritage, organized by Puertorrican Culture Preservation Inc.<\/a>, the Allentown nonprofit that stages the annual event<\/a>, in a city home to roughly 33,000 residents of Puerto Rican origin, the largest Hispanic group in Allentown.<\/p>\n This year also brings a venue change: the food, culture, arts, and music festival moves to the Allentown Fairgrounds.<\/p>\n The festival lineup features live performances by Giro, Zafra Black, Hector Rosado and his Hache Orchestra, and Manny Rivera y Los Brothers Band.<\/p>\n The day begins with a flag-raising ceremony at 11 a.m. at Allentown City Hall, at Fourth and Hamilton streets, followed by the parade at noon and the festival at 1 p.m. Festivities run until 7 p.m.<\/p>\n Stay informed on Lehigh Valley events<\/p>\n Get the latest events news and updates from across the Valley.<\/p>\n By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy<\/a> and consent to receive updates.<\/p>\n The parade steps off downtown on Hamilton Street and travels west about a mile, finishing at Hamilton and Madison streets. From there, the fairgrounds are roughly a half-mile walk, about 10 to 15 minutes, continuing west on Hamilton and north on 17th Street.<\/p>\n Those driving to the festival can go directly to the fairgrounds at 302 N. 17th St., approaching from the north via Chew Street to avoid the parade closure.<\/p>\n Parade route and festival location. Flag-raising 11 a.m. at City Hall; parade at noon; festival 1 to 7 p.m. at the Allentown Fairgrounds.<\/p>\n Hamilton Street will be closed to traffic from Fourth Street to Madison Street beginning at 8 a.m., with participant setup from Fourth to Fifth streets starting at 8:30 a.m. Organizers are billing the return to Hamilton Street as a homecoming, declaring \u201cLa Parada regresa a su hogar,\u201d or \u201cthe parade returns to its home.\u201d<\/p>\n The parade will feature floats, music, and a celebration of Puerto Rican culture and traditions. In 2024, the parade was held on Fifth Street with the festival at Executive Education Academy Charter School on Union Boulevard.<\/p>\n Stay informed on Lehigh Valley events<\/p>\n Get the latest events news and updates from across the Valley.<\/p>\n By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy<\/a> and consent to receive updates.<\/p>\n The festival at the fairgrounds is free and open to families, with live music, Puerto Rican food, crafts, and vendors. Sunday\u2019s forecast calls for a dry day with a high near 80 degrees.<\/p>\n Puertorrican Culture Preservation describes itself as a group of Puerto Rican residents of Allentown working to teach young people about the island\u2019s history and culture.<\/p>\n