On Saturday, October 11, Assemblyman William Colton (D—Gravesend, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach and Dyker Heights) joined hundreds of other marchers in the annual Columbus Day Parade along 18^th Avenue in Bensonhurst.

Overcast skies and bouts of rain did not dampen the festivities, as school bands, a gaggle of old Cadillacs, local luminaries and elected officials participated in the event.

“I was delighted to participate in this parade, which is a celebration of the contribution of Italian Americans to Brooklyn, New York City and the United States,” said Assemblyman Colton. “Beginning in the early 20^th century, and again in the post-World War II era, many Italian immigrants settled in this area, which became one of the centers of Italian American culture in this country. Over decades, of course, the population of the neighborhood has continued to change, and, as they shared the neighborhood with Jewish immigrants in the early years, Italian Americans now share the community with people whose roots lie in many other countries. So, it really pleases me to see that those who marched with me today represent a panoply of cultures. We remain a true melting pot, and that is one of the things that makes our city and our borough the wonderful place it is to live, work and raise a family.”

The parade, which begins at 61^st Street and culminates at Il Centro, the Federation of Italian Americans (FIAO) community center at Benson Avenue, is sponsored by FIAO. This is the 43^rd year that the parade has been held.