The last weekend through Monday of August the Dominican Republic was celebrated in Williamsburg. Moore Street Market had a pre-Parade launch party on Saturday. On August 26th, the 18th parade celebrating Dominican culture traveled down Graham Avenue from Metropolitan Avenue to Broadway. Winners of the annual beauty pageant rode on the La Flora Spice float or gracefully strolled along the avenue. Limping devils and other colorful costumed, horned, and masked characters of Dominican carnival folklore, some wielding whips, brought up the tail end of the parade.
Assemblywoman Maritza Davila helped cut the ribbon that launched the parade. The NYPD band, Worldwide Firefighter Academy, Centro Cultural Ballet Quisqueya, the United Panamanian Marching Band, and parade dignitaries and royalty were among those participating in this year’s event. The Brooklyn Dominican Parade, Inc. was founded in August 25 of 2000 by Mrs. Estella Jimenez, Dr. Rafael Lolet Santamaría and Lic. José Muñíz.
On the following Monday, at the 5th Annual Dominican Restoration, Council Member Jumaane Williams, Nieves Padilla, Alexandra Hernandez, and Maritza Sosa (Council Member Antonio Reynoso’s mother) were honored by the Consulado General de la República Dominicana en Nueva York. Students from Nuestros Niños Chilhood Development Center performed the merengue. Then some whip cracking Los Lechones of Santiago (Los Joyeros) delighted the crowd with their vibrant costumes and hijinks.
The Greenline 