The sound of music and crowds cheering echoed up Fifth Avenue as the 77th Columbus Day Parade weaved through Midtown to the Upper East Side Monday. The parade was the largest celebration on Fifth Avenue to happen since the coronavirus hit the city in 2020, canceling last year’s Columbus Day Parade and so many other cultural celebrations. Thousands of spectators, some coming from as far away as Italy, lined the streets for the event.

“It’s amazing. It’s great to see how the countries are tied up, even now, like, centuries later,” said Leonardo Patacconi, an Italian tourist. Pasquale Policarpo is from Italy, too, now by way of Staten Island. He said he’s ecstatic to celebrate his heritage at the parade once again. “I like to see Columbus celebrated all the time. Do not forget, he’s the one who discovered here. He spent 40 days on the ship,” said Policarpo, a Westerleigh resident.