Monday, October 23, 2006 8:55 AM

National Puerto Rican Day Parade Inc
11th Annual Gala Banquet
Marriott Marquis, NY NY
June 9th 2006

The National Puerto Rican Day Parade has become one of the largest national parades. This past year, the parade committee surpassed numerous milestones. The parade has gained, and is still gaining more and more interest each year as participants from far and wide come to New York to partake in its festivities.

On the night of the gala, Ralph Morales invited everyone to attend the parade, which took place on the Sunday after the gala. “The Board of Directors works during the year to carry out the activities that make it possible to show the world the meaning of being Puerto Rican with all its privileges and responsibilities.” said Ralph Morales, the CEO of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade. This is one of the reasons why the parade has gained so much popularity over the years.

The Grand Marshall of New York was, Mr Marc Anthony, Salsa singing sensation and the husband of Jennifer Lopez.

New York Godmother was Nilda Rosario, New York Godfather was Fat Joe, Puerto Rico Godfather was Don Omar, Youth Godfather of Puerto Rico was Michael Stuart, New York Youth Godfather was DJ Kazzanova, Ambassador of Goodwill was Tito El Bambino, Children’s Godfather was El Payaso “Piruli” State Marshall was Eddie Alberto Perez, Mayor of Hartford Connecticut, Lifetime Achievement Award winner was Honorable Jose Rivera, New York Assembly Member.

Other dignitaries on hand were Assembleyman Adam Clayton Powell Jr,Congressman Jose Serrano, Sr., Bronx Borough President Adolpho Carrion, Jr.Councilmember Jose Rivera and many more. There were also over six different beauty queens from a variety of different pageants. There were many more guests who attended the gala from Puerto Rico, the U.S.,

The breakfast was held right before the parade on June 11, after which everyone marched in the parade down Madison Avenue, with 2.5 million people in attendance (and millions more watching on television—making the National Puerto Rican Day Parade the largest of its kind in New York, and, possibly, in the USA), cheering on with their native flags, and dancing to the salsa beats.

We would like to thank Mr. Carlos Velasquez, President of Galos Corporation, the official marketing and business agency for the National Puerto Rican Day Parade, for his kind invitation. For more information about the National Puerto Rican Day Parade, please visit the official website, http://www.nationalpuertoricandayparade.org/

If you are interested in having us cover one of your events, feel free to notify us one week in advance, so we can add you to our master calendar, and have our Liberty News Staff come and write an article about your event. Feel free to email us at lnevents@hadofnyc.org, or telephone us at (718) 507-7616 between the hours of 8:00am and 8:00pm, and ask to speak to Dr Rouse.