FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM OCTOBER 12, 2017 • THE QUEENS COURIER 27
Italian pride on the march in Astoria
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
rpozarycki@qns.com / @robbpoz
Proud Italian-Americans fi lled the
streets of Astoria with red, white and
green on Saturday, Oct. 7, to celebrate
their heritage during the neighborhood’s
annual Columbus Day Parade.
Th e 40th annual march, two days ahead
of the national Columbus Day observance,
recognized the cultural contributions
of Italian-Americans throughout
America. Rocco Commisso, founder,
chairman and CEO of Mediacom
and the New York Cosmos soccer team,
served as the grand marshal of the march
that the Federation of Italian-American
Organizations of Queens sponsored.
Hundreds participated in the march
including local elected offi cials, youth
groups, Italian-American organizations
and marching bands. Th ree vehicles also
carried likenesses of the Nina, Pinta and
Santa Maria — the ships that explorer
Christopher Columbus led to America
in 1492 — accompanied the marchers as
they made their journey from Kaufman-
Astoria Studios to the Columbus statue
at the corner of Astoria Boulevard and
32nd Street.
Th e base of the 7-foot-tall statue was
vandalized several weeks ago with the
words “Don’t honor genocide,” an allusion
to recent historical evidence which
suggests that Columbus may have had
indigenous people killed soon aft er he
arrived in the New World. Photographer
Walter Karling reported that Saturday’s
parade was “devoid of any anti-Columbus
protesters” and the statue base itself had
been meticulously cleaned before marchers
arrived.
Former City Council Speaker Peter
Vallone Sr.
Commisso with the Deputy Consul General of Italy
in New York City Isabella Periotto (left) and Italian
Consulate intern Costanza Arrivabene.
Commisso with New York Cosmos
cheerleaders Alison Sproat and
Nicole Caruso
Rocco Commisso (center) with FIAOQ President Joseph
DiPietro and Parade Chairman Judge Jerry Iannece
Parade grand marshal Rocco Commisso and other dignitaries greet spectators at the Astoria
Columbus Day Parade on Oct. 7.
Parade dignitaries gather at the base of the Columbus statue for an end-of-event traditional
wreath-laying.
A likeness
of the Santa
Maria