Patchogue Hispanic Parade Is About ‘Community And Inclusivity’

PATCHOGUE, NY — The Village of Patchogue is known for its many festive parades, including the holidays of the 4th of July, Christmas, and St. Patrick’s Day. But Sunday’s parade some say is long overdue.

The village will hold its first Hispanic Heritage Parade along Main Street, stepping off at the intersection of Route 112 and Montauk Highway at noon.

It will run until 2 p.m.

The line of march will include local businesses, community groups, floats, and bands, led by grand marshal Joselo Lucero, the brother of Marcelo Lucero, who was slain in a racially-motivated attack that sent shockwaves through the village in 2008. Serving as ambassadors will be Maryanne Rivera-Nugent, the granddaughter of community leader Isabel Rodriguez, and Maria Guistizia, the village’s Parks and Recreation Department director.

Patchogue Trustee Lizbeth Carrillo, the first Hispanic village board member, said the parade will not only be about Hispanic heritage.

"It's not just about the Hispanic community — and that is the number one thing," said Carrillo, a native of Ecuador. "It's about a community. It's about the village."

Carrillo said that she is often asked by people curious about her culture, and she feels that the parade is something that will include others in the Hispanic community and bring everyone together.

"It's more of, like, inclusiveness, and it's not just about the Hispanic community, but rather, of our community and being inclusive," she said.

Lucero, also a native of Ecuador, said he will likely bring something of his brother's with him when he marches as a way of remembering him.

He said that the parade brings back mixed feelings about the past but that he believes the village's leadership has an initiative to ensure the Hispanic community is recognized.

"We are not talking about minority communities," he said. "We're talking about the Latino community in general, so it's a lot of different people from different countries, different backgrounds. And, I think I am really excited for that because I think everyone in my community should be recognized for the hard work — what they do to help the community."

Rivera-Nugent's grandmother was a community staple in Patchogue after she left Puerto Rico to start her new life.

To honor her, she will wear some jewelry that she bestowed on her, as well as a scarf resembling the Puerto Rican flag.

Rivera-Nugent has walked the parade route for many a year since she was a little girl in the 4th of July Parade up until now as a member of the Patchogue Lioness Lions Club. But this one will be different for her.

“I think it’s important because when I was growing up, the Hispanic community was very small,” she said.

Giustizia normally likes to stay behind the scenes running events.

"I put on parades, but I will be at the end of the parade on a float in honor of my Puerto Rican heritage and my Mexican heritage," she said.

Carrillo said she has been told that the number of marchers and parade units is considered the largest the village has had to date.

The parade’s line of march will culminate with the New York Police Department Hispanic band, La Jara, whose members will perform a concert at the end. The village’s Hispanic restaurants will be offering discounts on food so that parade-goers can sample different cuisines. Burgerology will also be having its Fall Fest, so that might also draw some others, Carrillo says.

It will be a day that everyone can enjoy, she said.

“This parade is important because it's important to be inclusive, correct?” Carrillo said. “It's a way how we can share our culture, our differences, as well as our similarities. And we have a lot of similarities. And, I think we represent so much more than immigration status. There's so much more to us than that. So it's really about showing off our culture showing off who we are showing off our differences, but also our similarities."

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