For the 44th year, Bensonhurst turns 18th Avenue — co-named Cristoforo Colombo Boulevard — into a 24-block runway of Italian-American pride, stepping off at 61st Street. Run by the neighborhood’s Federation of Italian-American Organizations, it bills itself as the longest parade in New York City and feels far more local than the Fifth Avenue version. If you want old-school Brooklyn at full volume, this is the weekend’s parade.
What to expect
The march kicks off near 61st Street and proceeds down 18th Avenue, with community groups, marching contingents, local officials and honorees heading toward FIAO's Il Centro community center. Neighbors line the sidewalks along the avenue's Italian bakeries, salumerias and cafés, and the festive mood spills into the storefronts.
Good to know
- Take the N to 18 Av, which stops right by the starting stretch of the route
- Watch near the 61st–65th Street start to catch the parade as it forms up
- 18th Avenue's Italian bakeries and pork stores make great snack stops along the route
- Expect street closures along 18th Avenue — driving and parking nearby will be tough
- Family-friendly and free to watch from the sidewalk
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Common questions
Where does the Brooklyn Columbus Day Parade run?
It steps off at 61st Street and heads down 18th Avenue in Bensonhurst — co-named Cristoforo Colombo Boulevard — covering roughly 24 blocks toward the Federation of Italian-American Organizations' Il Centro community center.
Who organizes it?
The Federation of Italian-American Organizations of Brooklyn, a Bensonhurst umbrella group that runs the Il Centro community center.
Is this the same as the Manhattan Columbus Day Parade?
No — this is Brooklyn's own neighborhood parade in Bensonhurst, separate from the Fifth Avenue parade in Manhattan.
