Waterbury celebrates its own Puerto Rican Parade for the first time NBC Connecticut [Video]

All weekend long, the city of Waterbury celebrated its Puerto Rican community.

It began with a flag raising ceremony on Friday, and a festival at Hamilton Park the very next day.

On Sunday, they brought back a special tradition after more than two decades. It was the first time the Brass City celebrated its own Puerto Rican parade.

“I feel so excited. I have tears in my eyes,” event president Lisa Medina said.

The city hosted one in 1969 and 1999, but those were state-wide Puerto Rican parades. After that, cities started hosting their own individual Puerto Rican celebrations. Waterbury, however, did not.

But that all changed this year.

“After 25 years, Waterbury finally did it,” Medina said.

Organizers called this the Greater Waterbury Puerto Rican Day Parade and festival. It started on Freight Street, made its way around the green, and ended in front of City Hall.

Medina said thousands of people were there in support, including Waterbury Public Schools, …