Pulaski Day Parade 2024 in New York

The day to celebrate Polish heritage in New York City

Dates: October 6, 2024

One of the oldest ethnic parades in NYC, Pulaski Day Parade is held annually on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan since 1937. The parade dedicated to Kazimierz Pulaski, a hero of the American Revolutionary War, is always held on the first Sunday of October. Sometimes it coincides with General Pulaski Memorial Day on October 11th, when he died during the Siege of Savannah.

The parade celebrates Polish culture and heritage featuring hundreds of Polish dancers, students of Polish supplementary schools, Polish soccer teams and their mascots, Polish Scouts, and many others. The parade starts on Fifth Avenue & 36th St at 12:30 pm.

Parade History

The Pulaski Day Parade was founded by Francis J. Wazeter, president of the Downstate New York division of the Polish American Congressi. Every year the parade is represented by the contingent Marshals, Miss Polonia, and Junior Miss Polonia. The Pulaski Day Parade is the biggest gathering of the Polish community in the United States.

General Casimir (Kazimierz) Pulaski was a Polish nobleman and military commander. Born in Warsaw in 1745, Pulaski had an impressive military career after he became involved with the Bar Confederation, which considered King Stanisław a Russian puppet and sought to curtail Russian hegemony over Poland. After the uprising failed, Pulaski was forced into exile. In 1777, Pulaski arrived in the United States to help in the American Revolutionary War, following a recommendation by Benjamin Franklin. Pulaski is called "The Father of American Cavalry" and "The Soldier of Liberty". In 1929, Congress passed another resolution, this one recognizing October 11 of each year as "General Pulaski Memorial Day."

Pulaski Day Events

The Pulaski Day Parade begins with a solemn Celebration of the Liturgy at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the Pulaski Parade Breakfast at the 3 West Club. Other Pulaski Day events also include the Pulaski Parade Banquet, which is held at the Venetian, 546 River Drive, Garfield, New Jersey, on September 13, 2024.