HOLYOKE — Mayor Joshua A. Garcia has been named “Padrino” (“Godfather”) of Boston’s annual Puerto Rican Festival Parade.
The festival, now in its 57th year, starts Saturday at Boston City Hall plaza. The parade steps off Sunday, July 30, at noon.
As Padrino, Garcia will preside over the popular parade alongside the festival’s “Madrina and Mariscal” (“Godmother and Marshal”). Michael Martinez, director of community engagement and partnerships for the festival, said the festival board voted to honor Garcia based on “his real commitment to community building and honoring his culture.”
Garcia, 37, is Holyoke’s first Puerto Rican mayor. The city of Holyoke has more Puerto Ricans per capita than any other city in the world outside of the island of Puerto Rico. Martinez said the mayor’s role in organizing last year’s Fiestas Patronales de Holyoke was another factor in designating him Padrino.
Garcia will be joined in the march by members of the organizing committee of Fiesta Patronales and leaders from the city of Holyoke as well as board members of the Springfield Puerto Rican Parade and local leaders from the city of Springfield.