The Columbus Day Parade, sponsored by Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA), took place in Cleveland's Little Italy neighborhood on Monday, Oct. 10 along Mayfield and Murray Hill roads. Hundreds of units marched - elaborate floats, marching bands, local artifacts, and city leaders - to celebrate Northeast Ohio's deeply rooted Italian American culture.
After Mass at Holy Rosary Church, 92.3's Anthony Lima served as MC of the Parade.
He introduced ISDA National President and Greater Cleveland Columbus Day chairman Basil M. Russo who gave a few brief remarks.
Basil has said, "On Columbus Day, Italian Americans pay tribute to our ancestors, and to all walks of life, who arrived in Northeast Ohio and built better lives for their families. Many aren't aware of this, but Columbus' parades and statues were used by early Italian Americans to fuel assimilation and fight discrimination during a decades-long period of oppression. In fact, the first national Columbus Day celebration honoring Italian Americans was held in 1892 as a way to ease tensions after 11 innocent Italian immigrants were murdered in New Orleans, in front of the largest lynch mob ever to assemble on U.S. soil."
Watch a video of the opening before the Parade stepped off.
Watch a video of highlights of the Columbus Day Parade. (As usual we did not include any of the many politicians who marched.)
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