In the throes of the pandemic last April, Mayor de Blasio announced that NYC would have a ticker-tape parade to celebrate all of the healthcare workers and first responders fighting COVID-19 every single day and the celebration is tomorrow!
The news first came after all NYC parades, rallies and concerts for the month of June 2020 were canceled, with him saying: “I can’t tell you when we’ll be able to host cultural events and parades again. But I can tell you WHO our first parade will be for: When the time is right, New York City will honor our healthcare workers and first responders with a ticker tape parade up the Canyon of Heroes.” The Canyon of Heroes is the classic NYC parade route from the Battery to City Hall.
Now, over 1 year later, and with NYC reopening more and more every day, the time is finally right!
On Wednesday, July 7, the “Hometown Heroes Parade” will take place in the city beginning at 11 a.m. He had promised that NYC’s large parades would return in 2021, and this will mark one of the first “back to normal” large-scale events.
The Canyon of Heroes is reserved for the greatest among us. I can’t think of anyone greater than our health care workers, first responders, educators, and essential workers. They saw us through the #COVID19 crisis with bravery, compassion, and grit.
Tomorrow we honor them. pic.twitter.com/n6z1bT2c3M
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) July 6, 2021
There will be floats dedicated to all the different groups of essential workers: from doctors to educators to bodega workers. “Thousands will be marching and on the floats. We want to welcome all New Yorkers to come be a part of it and celebrate our heroes,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.
However, there is a slight challenge with the upcoming celebration due to an expected heat advisory effective tomorrow. Additional cooling and water stations will be set alongside the route, and the final ceremony following the parade’s end will instead be a “stripped down” version where New Yorkers can greet and thank the marchers. “The parade itself of course will be the central salute to our heroes,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.
He said it would be an example of the NYC tradition of ticker-tape parades, which originated back in the late 19th century. Of course, he said this one would have an extra special meaning since it’ll be dedicated to everyday New Yorkers who stepped up for their city in the time of its greatest need.
“It’s a day to celebrate and appreciate the heroes who often go unsung,” he added. “We’re going to sing about them this day.”
featured image source: Shutterstock