Columbus Parade Photos - Astoria

October 8, 2012 / Astoria / Ethnic Culture in Queens / Astoria / Queens Buzz. I attended the Columbus Day Parade in Astoria this weekend to watch the pageantry celebrating our Italian American heritage. The parade began congregating at 11 am in front of Kaufman Astoria Studios off 34th Avenue. The parade began at 12 noon, marching north along Steinway Street, turning west along 30th Avenue and then north again at 33rd Street up to Columbus Triangle off Astoria Blvd [near the subway stop]. Click here for our 2011 report which includes Columbus Day Parade map, date & times - as well as a brief history of the Federation of Italian Americans Organization [FIAO] in Astoria, and of Columbus' discovery of America.

At the 2012 Columbus Day Parade in Astoria, there were a number of government officials leading the parade including City Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr., NYS Senator Giannaris, and former City Council Speaker Peter Vallone Sr. Also marching were a number of people who were beginning their efforts to seek elective city offices in the 2013 election, when Peter Vallone Jr's third term expires.

Click here to view our photo slide show of the Columbus Day Parade in Astoria 2012, along Steinway Street in Astoria.

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Columbus Parade Photos - Astoria

October 8, 2012 / Astoria / Ethnic Culture in Queens / Astoria / Queens Buzz. It was a beautiful sunny day in Astoria on Saturday as the Columbus Day Parade began to march down Steinway Street in Astoria. As I walked along, photographing the parade participants, I noticed how attractive Steinway Street looked this time of year.

Each year I watch the parade I notice something that hadn't registered the year before. The Federation of Italian Americans are the organizers of the parade and some of the floats that appear from year to year, stay true to the Italian American legacy.

For example in the Columbus Day Parade in Astoria, every year a man dresses as Christopher Columbus accompanied by a woman dressed in matching 15th century garb. In the photo to your left you can see that Christopher Columbus and his wife participating in the 2012 Columbus Day Parade along 30th Avenue and Steinway Street in Astoria.

Columbus Day Parade in Astoria - Floats, Cars, Costumes & Music

FIAO also makes sure that there are three ships that sail down Steinway Street and 30th Avenue every year. These ships look very much like the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria. There's a photo of the ships in the slide show below.

The parade also includes some more modern and also fanciful outfits. For example there was an Italian beauty dressed in a decorous wedding style dress, with a long tricolore train that looked remarkably similar to the Italian flag.

And there were a number of cars, one of which is a pink vintage 1959 Oldsmobile [that's my guess - click for more on vinetage and antique autos in Queens] as well as an Italian Fiat, which is as Italian a classic, as Chevrolet is to America.

Italian American Societies & Kids Soccer Clubs In Astoria

A number of Italian American Societies also marched in the parade. One of them is the years old Societa Gioventu Quagliettana. This club dates back over 100 years to 1911. A number of the clubs sponsor kids soccer leagues, an Italian passion for more than the last century. There was the Astoria Italian Soccer Club and the Istria Sport Club and the St Francis of Assisi CYO WildCats. There were also a couple of recently organized groups [meaning within the past couple of decades], like FIDA the Italian American Club and an Immigration Advocacy group.

In the photo to your left you can see the Astoria Italian Soccer Club and the Istria Sport Club marching north on 33rd Street in the Columbus Day Parade in Astoria.

Columbus Day Parade On Historic Steinway Street in Astoria

Long Island City High School marched in the parade, along with several other cadet groups that didn't carry banners. The parade ended at Columbus Triangle where the parade participants gathered to listen to several speeches.

As mentioned in the beginning of this report, I thought Steinway Street looked particularly good during the parade. So after it, I dropped by the Greater Astoria Historical Society [GAHS] to see how it looked in years past. See photo above courtesy of the GAHS to see for yourself. Steinway Street is one of the few classical 20th century Main Streets remaining fairly intact, and provides a unique shopping experience in Astoria and visitors.

All in all it was another great Columbus Day Parade along Steinway St & 30th Avenue celebrating the Italian American legacy. I hope you had a happy Columbus Day and weekend.

Columbus Day Parade - Steinway Street Astoria & 30th Ave - Photos

Click here to view photos of the Columbus Parade along 30th Avenue & Steinway Street in Astoria.

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