Daddy Yankee, Dayanara Torres and Anthony Ramos to lead New York Puerto Rican Day Parade

By AI, Created 4:50 PM UTC, May 19, 2026, /AGP/ – The National Puerto Rican Day Parade will return to Fifth Avenue in New York City on June 14 with Daddy Yankee as grand marshal, Dayanara Torres as queen and Anthony Ramos as king. Organizers say the 69th annual parade will honor Puerto Rican influence across culture, business, sports and public service, while spotlighting Vega Baja, Puerto Rico and New Jersey.

Why it matters: - The National Puerto Rican Day Parade is one of the nation’s largest cultural celebrations and draws an estimated one million attendees each year. - The 2026 theme, “Somos Más Que 100x35,” is meant to highlight Puerto Rican influence far beyond the island’s 100-by-35-mile geography. - The parade will honor Puerto Rican achievement across the archipelago and global diaspora in culture, music, sports, entertainment, politics, business and public service. - The 2026 celebration will also recognize Vega Baja, Puerto Rico and New Jersey as special communities.

What happened: - The National Puerto Rican Day Parade board announced the honorees and key details for the 69th annual parade in New York. - Daddy Yankee will lead the procession as grand marshal. - Dayanara Torres was named Queen of the Parade. - Anthony Ramos was named King. - The parade will travel up Fifth Avenue on Sunday, June 14, between 44th and 79th Streets. - WABC-Channel 7 will air the parade live at 12 noon EDT. - The parade will stream on abc7NY.com, WABC’s connected TV apps, Facebook and TikTok pages.

The details: - Daddy Yankee is described by organizers as a global reggaetón star who helped bring the genre to the world. - His hits cited by organizers include “Gasolina,” “Despacito” with Luis Fonsi and “Con Calma” with Snow. - Daddy Yankee was named the 2026 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year. - Dayanara Torres is a TV host, actress and Miss Universe 1993. - Dayanara Torres currently co-hosts the nationally syndicated El Show de Enrique Santos. - Dayanara Torres co-hosted Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve from 2023 through 2025. - Dayanara Torres is a stage three cancer survivor and uses her platform to promote skin cancer prevention and early detection. - Anthony Ramos is an actor and musician whose breakout work began on Broadway before leading roles in film and television. - The parade will also give Lifetime Achievement honors to Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez and trumpeter, composer, bandleader, educator and Latin GRAMMY Award winner Charlie Sepúlveda. - Other honorees include Elizardo Castro, Lilibeth Torres, Lila Nikole, Papo Vazquez, Ivan Clemente, Los Rivas, José and Irad Ortíz, Word Life, Camila Colon, Milton Davila, Jr., JJ Gonzalez and Comite Noviembre. - José and Irad Ortíz recently placed first and second at the 2026 Kentucky Derby. - Additional honorees, cultural tributes, scholarship recipients and event details are available at more information. - The parade has support from WABC-Channel 7, Manhattan Beer & Beverage Distributors, GOYA Foods, JetBlue, JD Sports, MetroPlusHealth, Amazin’ Mets Foundation, Miranda Family Fund and TWU-Local 100.

Between the lines: - The honoree list stretches across generations and professions, signaling an effort to frame Puerto Rican influence as both cultural and institutional. - The focus on a broad diaspora, plus communities in Puerto Rico and New Jersey, reflects how the parade is positioning Puerto Rican identity as geographically wide and culturally connected. - The mix of entertainers, public servants, athletes, artists and community groups suggests the parade is as much about civic recognition as it is about celebration.

What’s next: - Organizers are expected to release more cultural tributes and scholarship details before parade day. - The procession will move through Manhattan on June 14 with live broadcast coverage from WABC-Channel 7. - The parade will continue its broader mission of cultural preservation, education and community empowerment through programs and scholarships.

The bottom line: - The 69th National Puerto Rican Day Parade is leaning into a message of outsized global impact, with high-profile honorees and a Manhattan showcase designed to spotlight Puerto Rican pride, achievement and visibility.