CHELSEA — Nearly a year after its water swept ashore and caused devastation across the city, New York Harbor will be the site of a celebration honoring the men and women who responded to Hurricane Sandy.
This year's Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance Parade of Boats will bring dozens of modern and historic ships, along with private yachts, in a grand parade up the Hudson River starting at 6 p.m. on Oct. 1.
The parade will feature a grand light and water finale from the FDNY's Fireboat 343, which will shoot off a salutatory blast of its water cannons.
The Tuesday event, which is free to those who want to view it from Chelsea's Pier 62 at West 22nd Street, is a prelude to the MWA's annual Heroes of the Harbor Ceremony. This year's gala will honor the General Contractors Association of New York for its work rebuilding the flood-damaged areas of the region after the storm, the employees of NY1 for delivering essential information during and after Sandy, and Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer.
“Mayor Zimmer guided the residents of Hoboken to prepare for a storm surge of historic proportions, and since that time she has worked to make her city a national model for preparedness," MWA chairman Christopher Ward said in a statement.
"We thank the members of the General Contractors Association for their expertise and steadfast determination to get the job done as we move forward to create a more resilient shoreline.”
The gala begins after the parade at 7 p.m. at the Chelsea Piers Lighthouse. Tickets range from $500 for a single person to $50,000 for a premium table. Tickets are available online.
