34 THE QUEENS COURIER • OCTOBER 11, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Celebrating Italian pride at Astoria Columbus Day march
Queens residents celebrated Italian
culture and heritage during the Astoria
Columbus Day Parade held on Oct. 6
through the neighborhood. Sponsored
by the Federation of Italian-American
Organizations of Queens, the 41st annual
march started at Kaufman Astoria
Studios, located at 34th Avenue and
36th Street, and made its way northward
to the Columbus Triangle at the corner
of Astoria Boulevard and 31st Street.
Marching bands and dancers took part
in the celebration, and a three-car convoy
carried small replicas of the Nina,
Pinta and Santa Maria — the three ships
that Columbus crossed during his historic
voyage of 1492. Angelo Vivolo, chairman
of the Columbus Citizens Foundation
and president of the Columbus Heritage
Coalition, served as the parade’s grand
marshal. The Aviation High School Air Force ROTC.
The Pinta
The Italian-American Women’s Center of NYC.
Saluting during the playing of the American and Italian
national anthems.
The Nina.
At the wheel of his 1992 Firebird convertible,
Bruno Macari gave a lift to 94-year young Battle
of the Bulge participant Luke Gasparre.
The Santa
Maria
Joseph Sciame, the president of the Italian
Heritage and Culture Committee of New York,
gives his organization’s best wishes.
The NYC Police Department Marching Band.
Photo by Walter Karling
Christopher Columbus (portrayed by Massimo Prag) and Queen Isabella (played by Dora Silva) waved
to the spectators along the parade route. Sailing vessels of the Columbian fl eet: