Dominican Day Parade 2019: Start Time, Route, Streets Closed

NEW YORK, NY — Thousands of people will flood the streets of Midtown Manhattan on Sunday, Aug. 11 to celebrate the annual Dominican Day Parade.

New York City has the largest Dominican community in the United States and the largest in the world outside of Santo Domingo, according to a study by the Pew Research Center. Of the 1.5 million people of Dominican heritage living int he country, nearly half (48%) reside in New York.

The large Dominican community is one of the reasons the Dominican Day Parade is one of the largest parties in the city, with more than 10,000 people expected to participate. This year's parade will be the 37th time the event is held is New York.

People being honored during this year's parade include: Internationally acclaimed actress and singer Charytin Goyco, Emmy-winning reporter Yisel Tejada, Broadway costume designer Emilio Sosa and Uptown basketball legend Felipe Lopez.

Here's everything you need to know if you're going to the parade Sunday.

What time does the parade start and end?

The Dominican Day Parade has evolved from a one-day event into a weeklong celebration. A kick off event will be held Thursday night at the United Palace in Washington Heights, the neighborhood most associated with New York's Dominican community.

The parade itself starts Sunday at noon and is scheduled to run five hours.

What is the route for this year's parade and will there be street closures?

The parade will be held in Midtown on Sixth Avenue. Marchers will begin on Sixth Avenue at 38th Street and will continue down the avenue until 52nd Street.

The main parade route and several side streets will be closed to traffic for the duration of the parade. This article will be updated when a full list of street closures is announced.

What's the easiest way to get to the parade?

The easiest way to get to the parade from Washington Heights and Inwood — the epicenter of New York City's Dominican community — will be by public transportation. Driving to the parade will be made nearly impossible because too many streets will be closed off near the parade and finding parking in Midtown is a pain on any day.

The quickest way to get near the parade route would be to take either the 1 train down to Times Square or the A train to Port Authority and walk from there.

If you're coming in from outside the city to attend the event, transit is also your best bet. Whether you take the commuter train into Penn Station or Grand Central Terminal, the parade route should be within walking distance.