NEW YORK – GNUSA
Thousands of Greek Americans are expected to march up NYC’s Fifth Avenue on Sunday March 30 as well as attend the Annual Greek Independence Day Parade, honoring the 204th anniversary since the start of the Greek Revolution for liberation from the Ottoman yoke.
The parade, now in its 86th year, is being organized under the auspices of the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York, and the 35-member Parade Committee is chaired by Philip Christopher.
General Andrew Poppas, the first Greek American-born four-star U.S Army General; His Eminence Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Patras; and the Olympiacos Soccer Team, which celebrates its centennial this year and is the 2024 European Conference League champion, represented by President Evangelos Marinakis, were selected as this year’s Parade Grand Marshals.
Honorary Marshals include renowned actor, director and screenwriter Christoforos Papakaliatis (Netflix’s Maestro in Blue) and four-time Olympic champion Pyrros Dimas.
Among the distinguished Honored Guests will be:
Hon. Georgios Georgantas – Second VP of the Hellenic Parliament; Hon. Nikolaos Androulakis – Leader of the Main opposition and President of PASOK-KINAL; Hon. Andreas Katsaniotis – MP of New Democracy (Achaias); Hon. Vasilios Kokkalis – MP of Syriza (Larissa); Hon. Nektarios Farmakis – Governor of Western Greece; Hon. Georgios Moutzouris – Governor of Northern Aegean; Hon. Maria Kamma – Mayor of Tilos; Hon. Giannis Garnellis – Deputy Mayor of Corfu; Hon. Iphigenia Kanara – Consul General of Greece in New York; Hon. Michael Firillas – Consul General of Cyprus in New York; Hon. Charalambos Agelopoulos – Maritime Attaché of Greece to New York.
General Poppas will be represented by Colonel Joseph Katz. U.S. Members of Congress Gregory Meeks, Grace Meng, Mike Lawler, Nicole Malliotakis, and Senator Charles Schumer, the Senate Democratic Leader will represent the United States Congress. State officials attending will include Rhode Island State Senator Lou Raptakis, New York State Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris, Assemblyman Michael Tannousis and New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
More than 120 groups with 52 floats and 15 bands will march up Fifth Avenue from 64th to 79th Streets, including federations, societies, associations, professional groups, trade clubs, women’s organizations, businesses, schools, student associations, churches, and religious communities from the New York Metropolitan area, Upstate New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Montreal, Canada.
According to the New York Police Department, the 2025 parade is expected to be one of the largest in recent years.
On Sunday morning, March 30, a Doxology service will be held at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, officiated by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America followed by the parade’s celebratory breakfast at The Pierre hotel on 5th Avenue.
