Columbus Day: Italian Heritage and Achievement Celebration

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- Every year, hundreds of thousands of people gather in New York City for the annual Columbus Day Parade, the largest celebration of Italian-American heritage and culture in the world.

But this year, amid the coronavirus pandemic, the event is going virtual.

"Due to COVID-19, we have decided in the best interests of our members, participants and spectators not to have our parade as usual," Columbus Citizens Foundation Board Chairman Angelo Vivolo said in a video posted on their web site. "We will be producing a virtual parade...This has been a year of challenges for our Italian-American community and the country, but I promise we will be back bigger and better next year."

The 2020 Columbus Citizens Foundation Italian Heritage & Achievement Special aired on Monday, October 12, 2020, LIVE on WABC-TV!

Columbus Day

Monday, October 12

12:30 PM to 2:00 PM

Featuring Appearances From

2020 Grand Marshal Andrew Cuomo

Maria Bartiromo

Andrea Bocelli

Chazz Palminteri

Mayor LaToya Cantrell of New Orleans

Lidia Bastianich

Joe Piscopo

Al Di Meola

and many more to be announced!

Watch: Full announcement

ABC7NY is a proud to partner with the Columbus Citizens Foundation and planned to present live coverage of the parade. Details will be forthcoming on the virtual event.

Related: Nearly 1 million turn out for annual Columbus Day Parade in NYC in 2019

ABOUT THE COLUMBUS CITIZENS FOUNDATION

The Columbus Citizens Foundation is a non-profit organization in New York City committed to fostering an appreciation of Italian-American heritage and achievement. The Foundation, through a broad range of philanthropic and cultural activities, provides opportunities for advancement to deserving Italian-American students through various scholarship and grant programs. The Foundation organizes New York City's annual Columbus Celebration and Columbus Day Parade, which has celebrated Italian-American heritage on New York's Fifth Avenue since 1929.

COVID-19 Help, Information. Stimulus and Business Updates

UPDATES

New York City

New Jersey

Long Island

Westchester and Hudson Valley

Connecticut

7 On Your Side Investigates: Up to 4,000 coronavirus cases prevented by NYC contact tracers

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio along with local health experts have repeatedly called contact tracing a key element in preventing another spike of coronavirus in the city.

REOPENING INFORMATION

What's Open, What's Closed

Reopening New York State

Reopening New Jersey

Reopening Connecticut

Total count of NYC, Long Island COVID-19 cases based on patient address