The streets of Brooklyn were alive with patriotic spirit as residents celebrated the 114th annual Brooklyn American Independence Day Parade on Sunday. The event featured a vibrant display of marching bands, historic outfits, first responders, and local heroes, drawing crowds of all ages to join in the festivities ahead of July 4.
The event began with a mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, after which parade organizers recognized notable community members and set the stage for the main event.
At 11:30 a.m., the parade stepped off from Fifth Avenue and 59th Street, making its way down the thoroughfare and towards 43rd Street. Spectators lined the route, waving flags and cheering as the procession — led by the Police Department’s esteemed marching band — passed by.
Marchers included the Knights of Columbus, the Boy Scouts of America, and George and Martha Washington. Historical reenactors of the famous first couple made their way down Fifth Avenue arm in arm.
This is the parade’s third year in Sunset Park. Brooklyn’s tradition of marking Independence Day with a parade began in Prospect Park West. Later, it was commemorated in Bay Ridge for 13 years before it moved to Dyker Heights followed by Carroll Gardens.
Brooklyn was a key location through the Revolutionary War. At the August 27, 1776 Battle of Long Island, also known as the Battle of Brooklyn, the British army defeated Americans troops and gained access to the highly strategic port of New York. It was the first major battle after the United States declared independence on July 4, and in troop deployment and combat, it was the largest battle of the war.
Additional reporting by Ximena Del Cerro
