For the second year in a row, I lent a hand to my friends at El Museo del Barrio for their amazing, over-the-top annual event - Three Kings Day Parade & Celebration. This year being their 43rd, was entitled, Nuestros Barrios Unidos: Celebrating our Collective Strength, honoring New York City's immigrant and migrant communities of past and present. The parade is a beautiful tribute to Puerto Rican, Caribbean, Latin American and Latinx cultures, and the el Barrio neighborhood. It also helps to keep the cultural and religious tradition of the Three Kings, Dia De Los Reyes (AKA the Epiphany) alive.
Being that I did it last year, I was asked once again to assist on the Facebook Live filming, hosted by Rhina "La Reina del Barrio" Valentin. I never knew that doing PA work would be interesting to me, but it was great fun to do it with Rhina and her comrades, J Spock and Frank as we ran through the parade filming all of the fun and grandeur featuring giant puppets, live camels and performances by Bomba Yo, Annette Aguilar & the Stringbeans, Fogo Azul, and Wabafu Garifuna Dance Theater.
The Three Kings event starts early with a breakfast and awards ceremony honoring the Kings, Madrinas and Padrinos - which includes addresses from local elected officials. Next is the main event - the colorful parade - marching from 106th and Park all the way up to La Marqueta (which has an after party of it's own). And finally, the after-party back at El Museo featuring Los Planeros de la 21 live in concert.
Here are the Facebook livestream video links:
Morning Interviews with Kings at El Museo
https://www.facebook.com/elmuseo/videos/1450379748460129/
https://www.facebook.com/elmuseo/videos/2611331682277352/
https://www.facebook.com/elmuseo/videos/2420506244881531/
Bomba Yo! Parranda at El Museo
https://www.facebook.com/elmuseo/videos/1076140599393044/
Entire Honoree Award Ceremony at El Museo
https://www.facebook.com/elmuseo/videos/2473881856261387/
Entire Parade Route
https://www.facebook.com/elmuseo/videos/1092045801131851/
After Party at La Marqueta
https://www.facebook.com/elmuseo/videos/516221649008235/
Live Concert with Los Planeros de la 21 at EL Museo
https://www.facebook.com/elmuseo/videos/471484240179219/
Backstage with El Museo Executive Director, Patrick Charpenel; Director of Communications, Rose Mary Cortez; Grand Marshall, Marcos Saavedra; King Emeritus, Jesus "Papoletto" Melendez; and some of the Madrenas and Padrinos.
Rhina Valentin (playing double-duty as a Madrina "Celia Cruz" and Facebook Live Hostess) with "King" Elba Cabrera.
Before an interview with Univision TV.
Rhina being interviewed by MC Victor Cruz.
Bomba Yo
Honoree breakfast award ceremony.
"King" Elba Cabrera speech
"King" Elba Cabrera
"King" Julissa Arce
Madrinas and Padrinos
Start of the parade route
Rhina with Public Advocate, Jumaane Williams
Rhina with Bomba Yo
Rhina with Fogo Azul
Three Kings
At La Marqueta
A parranda at la Marqueta
(all photos by me - see more on IG @whippedhoney)
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