October 2002 - Nr. 10
The 45th German-American Steuben Parade was a great success
An enthusiastic and appreciative crowd from all generations watched and listened under warm and sunny skies as 45 musical bands, nearly half of them from Germany and 450 registered organizations, including 30 from overseas, 33 floats and other entries march up New York’s Fifth Avenue, from 63rd to 86th Street. "The Parade lasted nearly three hours." commented Parade Chairman William Hetzler. .
According to official estimates front the New York City Police Department between 600,000 and 650,000 people lined the sidewalk on Fit Avenue. The Central Park Friendship Party was overcrowded for a couple of hours, so that visitors had to wait their turn to enter the park.
More media covered the parade than ever before because of this year’s Grand Marshals: Siegfried & Roy from Las Vegas. There was also live broadcasting to Germany by a major German TV network.
This Parade is staged annually in order to demonstrate to the public and officials of the government what achievements immigrants from German speaking countries have accomplished. "The Parade was clean and very orderly," a NYC Mayor’s representative said.
