Yesterday, the 88th Pulaski Parade marched down New York City’s Fifth Avenue. This year’s event holds special significance, as TV Republika took part for the first time as an official participant with its own float. “I have always dreamed of being here. I knew that this was the largest Polish event held abroad, unlike any other in the world. Here lies our greatest strength: up to 200,000 Poles come together in one day to show New York and all of America that America is also Polish, that America beats with a Polish heart,” said Tomasz Sakiewicz, President of TV Republika.
The 88th Pulaski Parade
The streets of New York were filled yesterday with white and red – the colors of Poland. The Pulaski Parade featured representatives of Polish parishes and organizations, veterans, scouts, youth and students, as well as artists, athletes, and uniformed services. The event was marked by a joyful atmosphere of national pride and collective celebration of Polish heritage.
This year’s parade theme was: “The 1000th Anniversary of the Founding of the Kingdom of Poland.”
The 88th Pulaski Parade was particularly special. TV Republika participated with its own custom-designed float. Speaking live on the station, President Tomasz Sakiewicz emphasized the significance of the Pulaski Parade:
“I have always dreamed of being here. I knew that this was the largest Polish event held abroad, anywhere in the world. Here lies our greatest capital: up to 200,000 Poles gathering in one place in a single day, showing New York and all of America that America is also Polish, that it pulsates with a Polish soul. People from Japan, Africa, Australia, and South America come up to us to offer congratulations and ask questions. There truly is no other event like this; it would be hard to imagine anything similar,”
he said.
He reminded viewers that the Pulaski Parade has united Poles for 88 years.
“This one day, the Pulaski Parade, is colorful, joyful, young, and full of energy. People dance in the streets, celebrate, and smile. It shows Polish strength, the immense energy of hundreds of thousands of people. It demonstrates that Polish matters are important, that Poles must not be disregarded, because their votes carry real weight in elections. President Trump thanked President Duda for his victory, not by accident. Once a year, we have the chance to show the strength of Poles living in the United States – citizens who can vote here. Today, Poles in America are a middle-class community. Their votes are crucial in U.S. elections,”
he noted.
Sakiewicz also pointed out that TV Republika has been receiving “growing support from the Polish diaspora in the U.S.”, which made it possible to prepare an exceptional live broadcast of the parade for viewers around the world.
The President of TV Republika also shared on X that he received a personalized T-shirt with his name from parade participants.
The Guest of Honor at this year’s parade was Marshal of the Sejm Szymon Hołownia.
Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis also posted about the event on X, writing that it was a “wonderful day.”
A Long-Standing Tradition
Since 1937, the Pulaski Parade has annually gathered tens of thousands of members of the Polish-American community from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and several other states.
The event honors General Kazimierz (Casimir) Pulaski, one of the outstanding leaders of the American Revolutionary War, who distinguished himself as a commander and died in the Battle of Savannah in 1779.
This year, the role of Grand Marshal of the Polish event was held by Arkadiusz “Eryk” Bagiński.