Star athlete Vicente Ithier among honorees at Greater Hartford Puerto Rican Day Parade
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — The excitement is building with less than 48 hours until the Greater Hartford Puerto Rican Day Parade steps off. The parade is a chance for the community to honor Puerto Ricans' rich history and contributions.
Several honorees, including Vicente Ithier, a star athlete, will be honored at this year's parade, the 60th anniversary celebration.
Here's what you need to know about the 2024 Greater Hartford Puerto Rican Day Parade
Ithier played Uconn basketball from 1982 to 1984 and represented Puerto Rico in the 1988 Olympics—a memory that has stayed with him decades later.
"The most incredible aspect of it is that I was able to represent Puerto Rico, the country I was born in, the country my parents and my ancestors are from," Ithier said. "And we were able to wear a shirt that says Puerto Rico across it. That was the biggest thing. I was born in Puerto Rico. I wasn't raised there. I was raised here in Hartford, so I think that was the biggest accomplishment to have a kid that was homegrown here in Hartford going all the way over to Puerto Rico to represent the island and family and the Puerto Rican community here in Connecticut."
Ithier will march in the parade on Sunday, which starts at 1 p.m. If you can't attend the parade, you can watch it live on WTNH and News 8.
