A Major German-American Parade Is Taking Over Fifth Avenue This Weekend

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Time to break out the lederhosen and brush up on German, because the 69th annual German-American Steuben parade on Fifth Avenue is back on the Upper East Side this Saturday, closing several streets to traffic.

This year's parade starts at East 67th Street and ends at East 86th Street, event organizers say, and kicks off at 12 p.m.

The parade will have thousands of participants and onlookers, live music and floats, organizers say.

The event is organized by the German-American Steuben Parade organization, which has run it since 1956, according to its website. In the parade's first year, it was held in Yorkville, which was then known as Germantown.

To cap off the celebration, there will be a large, ticketed Oktoberfest celebration in Central Park.

This year, the grand marshals of the parade are Jens Hanefeld, Germany's ambassador to the United States, and Norbert R. Wirsching, an international business executive and entrepreneur.

The parade will also be led by this year's Miss German-America: Katja Rabus, a 23-year-old from Lynbrook, NY.

To watch the parade in person, anywhere along the route is fair game. Or watch online here.

Road Closures

Formation:

• 67th – 70th, 78th Street between 5th Avenue and Park Avenue

• 71st Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue

Route:

• 5th Avenue between 67th Street and 86th Street

Dispersal:

• 5th Avenue between 86th Street and 96th Street
• 86th – 88th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue

Miscellaneous:

• 77th – 78th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.