The heavy rain didn’t stop hundreds of paradegoers from celebrating their Polish pride on Sunday.

“Although it’s raining, we are happy to be here all together,” parade participant Beata Spillman said. “We come every year. We love seeing each other and marching through Fifth Avenue.”

The 85th annual Pulaski Day Parade kicked off in Manhattan on Sunday. Traditional dance groups, city parishioners, and local school children marched along 5th Avenue from 36th Street to 53rd Street, in a sea of red and white.

What You Need To Know

  • This is one of the oldest ethnic parades in New York City — held annually since 1937

  • Every October, the Polish-American community honors American Revolutionary War hero General Casimir Pulaski for whom the Pulaski Bridge connecting Brooklyn and Queens is named after

  • The city is home to one of the largest Polish populations in the country. Over 40,000 Poles immigrated to New York from 1982 to 2001

“It’s really an honor,” Julia Gurdak, a second generation Polish-American, said. “We don’t get to do this a lot and I’m just really happy.”

The theme of this year’s parade was Marching with Heart, Soul and Love of Polonia.

“We’ve been attending the parade for the last 30 years,” paradegoer Janusz Skrzypek said.

This is one of the oldest ethnic parades in New York City, held annually since 1937. Every October, the Polish-American community honors American Revolutionary War hero General Casimir Pulaski for whom the Pulaski Bridge connecting Brooklyn and Queens is named. The Parade also shines a light on Polish-American immigrants who have made their mark on the United States from cultural and economic development to enduring freedom and everlasting pride.

“It means how long the Poles have been in the United States,” parade participant Danuta Warchol said. “How we contribute not only to American culture and tradition and also show our culture and tradition here in the United States.”

The city is home to one of the largest Polish populations in the country.

Over 40,000 Poles immigrated to New York from 1982 to 2001. However, according to the city’s Department of City Planning, this flow has trended downward in recent decades.

Polish-Americans in New York remain enthusiastic to keep their heritage and traditions alive.

“Recently it’s getting a little bit less because people are moving, traveling to different places,” Marzena Czyz, a Polish immigrant and Greenpoint resident, said. “But still, we keep together.”