Puerto Rican Day Parade in June
 

I will be visiting New York City in June with my elderly parents. We had planned on visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Sunday, June 10th but, I just discovered that is the day of the parade on Fifth Avenue. While my early 80's parents are mobile, they do not get around that well. What do you think? Should we reschedule the museum trip? Will transportation be a problem? Is the parade and the crowd just part of life in the big city?

If you do go, make sure to have a video camera and keep it charged and running. The NYPD has been quite successful in prosecuting the "wilding" attacks on innocents thru the use of video tape. Seriously, National Pride Days in NYC tend to bring out the worst in alot of people. I won't dare pick on the Puerto Ricans anymore than I would on the Irish or the Yankee fans in terms of mob behaviour. I would seriously reconsider your plans. JMHO

The parade route goes up Fifth Avenue, where the museum is located. And while it make not go as far as the museum, the parade close enough to cause congestion and a traffic mess in the area.<BR>As for unruly crowds, it's not a unique New York phenomenon, witness the unfortunate student riots in Tucson after the University of Arizona lost the NCAA final to Duke earlier this week!

Howard your correct. Last years World Series was a great example of the good things in NYC. Mets fans didn't burn down Queens after their loss nor did the city riot after the Giants or Knicks loss in Championship games. Detroit and LA come to mind for scenes fo police cars overturned after either wins or losses. I would imagine though that taking ones elderly parents to a museum in the middle of a National Pride Day parade would not be a risk I would want to take.

I totally agree. I would not advise taking elderly parents to the Met on that day. It gets very, very crowded on Fifth Avenue. A couple years ago, we found it so congested on the avenue that we had to walk over to Sixth Avenue to make any progress, even though our destination was on Fifth.<BR>As a general comment I would add that, in general, the Metropolitan gets very crowded on Sundays. I would recommend going there during the week if at all possible.

I would most certainly reschedule the museum visit. Last year I decided to walk over to watch the parade. Was in the area just north of the Met. The sidewalks were so crowded with people watching the parade you could hardly move. I am not as old as your parents but I felt I had to get out of there so I turned around, went back into the park and headed home.<BR>I didn't feel that I was in any danger but it was just too crowded. The PR day parade is probably the most attended of any parade in NY. I have watched the St.Patrick's DAy and Columbus day parade in the same area north of the Met and there were never more than a few hundred people in the general area.

Reschedule your visit to the Met. I made that mistake a few years ago with my elderly parents. Stay on the west side or downtown. How about the Cloisters?

Just wanted to jump in here and suggest that women of all ages, even women who might have men with them, stay the hell away from the parade in June! Your man will not be able to defend you against a wilding attack, as was demonstrated in last year's incident. I am a woman who lives in NYC and I will be steering clear of the parade that day.

midtown around 5th avenue is not pleasant on any parade day. this one draws large crowds. I do not believe the route goes as far up as the met but it still makes things difficult. If you go to the the museum early and spend much of the days in that area you may avoid the worse of it. You probably should call the museum and ask them if it can be a problem. whtever you do, try to stay away from the parade route for the most part of the day.

Totally agree that you need to postpone. Not only is it a congested pedestrian and traffic nightmare, but you are going to have to do a lot of extra walking. They will not let you cross the street just anywhere along 5th Ave. You may have to fight through blocks of crowds just to get to a crosswalk that is open.

I might also add that, unless you go early when the museum first opens at 9:30, it's very, very crowded on Sundays...even when there is no parade!