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Colombian Independence Day Parade Marches Through Jackson Heights

By Katie Honan | July 22, 2013 8:59am
 The annual Colombian Independence Day Parade marched down Northern Boulevard in Jackson Heights on Sunday.
Colombian Independence Day Parade
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QUEENS — The annual Colombian Independence Day parade marched through Jackson Heights Sunday, bringing a sea of red, blue and yellow to the neighborhood.

Local dance groups, marchers and floats traveled along Northern Boulevard, starting on 69th Street and finishing at 86th Street.

Local politicians, including state Sen. Jose Peralta, Assemblyman Francisco Moya and City Councilman Daniel Dromm, as well as candidates for office, also marched in the parade.

Thousands of onlookers lined the street, carrying the Colombian flag and cheering as the parade went by. A festival immediately followed the celebration.

Jackson Heights, known as "La Pequeña Colombia," is home to a large community of Colombian immigrants.

The parade, which celebrates Colombia's independence from Spain in 1810, was organized by Desfile Colombiano de Nueva York, a local nonprofit.

The day was also celebrated at a festival last week in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.