68 Years Strong: Camden’s Puerto Rican Day Parade Celebrates Culture
Parade participants wave to the crowd at San Juan Bautista Parade in Camden on Sunday, June 29, 2925. Photo by Melissa Morales
BY MELISSA MORALES | For AC JosepH Media
CAMDEN — Wepa! If you were anywhere near Camden this past Sunday (June 29), then you already know the city was alive with the sound of drums, salsa, laughter, and heritage.
The 68th Annual Puerto Rican Day Parade took over the streets and waterfront, reminding everyone that Puerto Rican pride isn’t just alive, it’s thriving. Sunday afternoon, Camden’s Wiggins Waterfront Park transformed into a staging ground for the culture.
Dozens of Jeeps lined up, flags waving, speakers bumping, and people prepping for a day that was about more than a celebration. This was about honoring culture and legacy.
The parade, hosted by Parada San Juan Bautista, isn’t just Camden tradition, its history. In fact, organizers proudly say it’s the oldest Puerto Rican parade in the United States. And this year’s celebration lived up to that legacy, showing us all why it’s still one of the city’s most beloved events.
The procession kicked off at Third and Elm streets and with the heat coming in heavy, Mancine’s stepped up in a big way. Sponsoring and distributing cold bottled water to parade participants.
The parade danced its way through the city, down Third Street, onto Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, and finishing strong near the aquarium on Riverside Drive. Everywhere you turned, people were waving flags, dancing, and shouting “¡Que viva Puerto Rico and Boricua!” with their whole chest.
From dance teams to marching bands, there were beautifully decorated floats to the honored Jeep clubs. This parade had it all. Little Miss Reina and her court added royalty to the festivities, while Council President Angel Fuentes, the Grand Marshal, brought wisdom and warmth.
When the parade wrapped up, Wiggins Waterfront Park kept the momentum going with a festival. That celebration had as much of an island-like feel as the parade itself.
Food vendors served up Puerto Rican classics like pernil, pastelillos, and arroz while families danced to live music to entertainer Brenda K. Starr.
“What an incredible day with loved ones,” said Camden City Council President Angel Fuentes on Facebook. He served as the grand marshal of the parade.
“The concert with Brenda K. Starr was truly unforgettable. Her remarkable voice, warm personality, and genuine humility left a lasting impression. It was an honor to meet her and capture some special moments with the talented artist. As grand marshal, I had the honor of being un jibaro de Puerto Rico, junto con mi caballo.”
But this wasn’t just a one-day thing. The parade and festival marked the finale of six weeks of cultural events hosted by Parada San Juan Bautista. From the flag-raising ceremony to the distinguished citizens luncheon, Little Miss Reina coronation, fundraising gala, and commemorative mass, the past month and a half has been a love letter to Puerto Rican heritage.
What makes this celebration so powerful isn’t just the floats, the music, the people or the food, but the legacy. Grandparents who had marched since the beginning of the celebration many years ago are now bringing their grandkids to experience the same pride.
San Juan Bautista is about honoring where the attendees came from and continuing to build where the community is going. The parade was pure joy for those participating, attending and watching even from a distance.
As the last beats of the drums faded into the beautiful Camden skyline and the final piragua melted under the sun, one thing was clear that Puerto Rican pride runs deep in this city, and for 68 years strong, Camden has kept that pride not only alive, but unstoppable.
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