Columbus Day Parade returns to NYC, celebrating Italian-American culture

The 80th Annual Columbus Day Parade returns to Fifth Avenue in New York City on Monday.

The city's celebration of its Italian cultural roots is a tradition connecting those with a little or a lot of Italian heritage to ancestors who made this their home.

The parade starts on Fifth Avenue at 44th Street and continues north along Fifth Avenue to 72nd Street.

WABC will broadcast the parade starting at 12:00 p.m. on Monday (10/14). The parade will be hosted by anchors Sandra Bookman and Mike Marza, with Comedian Joe Piscopo. Reporters Joelle Garguilo and Lauren Glassberg will join the team along the parade route.

Columbus Citizens Foundation announced that business executive Michael T. Strianese will serve as Grand Marshal this year.

Strianese is best known for his tenure as the Chairman and CEO of L3 Technologies, Inc., a global aerospace and national security company.

As Grand Marshal, Strianese will lead marching bands, floats, and over 100 marching groups up the Fifth Avenue parade route.

Groups, institutions, and partners from across the United States and Italy will take part in this year's celebration.

The parade is organized each year by the Columbus Citizens Foundation.

In addition to the Parade, the organization also plans a Gala (Saturday, October 12), to raise scholarship funds and a Wreath-Laying ceremony (Sunday, October 13), paying tribute to the civil servants and first responders who contribute to our community and help keep the city safe.

"We are very proud to say that in the past 40 years, we have offered $40 million in scholarships to deserving Italian-American high school, college and graduate students to support their education dreams," said Lisa Ackerman, CCF's Executive Director.

The Foundation has disbursed over 40 million dollars in scholarships to students and grants to charitable causes over the years.

For more information, please visit the Columbus Citizens Foundation .

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