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# Viva Italia! Highlights From This Year’s Columbus Day Parade [Video]
- URL: https://bklyner.com/viva-italia-highlights-from-this-years-columbus-day-parade-bensonhurst/
- Published: 2015-10-13T20:13:52.000Z
- Updated: 2015-10-14T14:22:58.000Z
- Author: Rachel Silberstein
- Tags: columbus day, columbus day parade, columbus day parade 2015, fiao, hot bench, patricia dimango, #API-Imported

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m27hcy1J1ug

Once again, as [in years past](/photos-bensonhursts-columbus-day-parade-brings-community-together-2/), Bensonhurst’s 34th Annual [Columbus Day Parade](/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-columbus-day-parade-this-saturday/) was a smashing success.

Nearly every school, community center, and church in town marched down 18th Avenue for the joyous annual event organized by the [Federation of Italian American Organizations](http://www.fiaobrooklyn.org/?ref=bklyner.com) (FIAO) to celebrate the many contributions Italian Americans have brought to our neighborhood and city.

Bensonhurst’s young singing sensation [Diana Marie Paunetto](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Z85wcfRzWgH4zc39rRfqQ?ref=bklyner.com), 11, thrilled parade goers with a performance of the Italian national anthem, and [Justice Patricia M. DiMango](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia%5FDiMango?ref=bklyner.com), one of the judges on CBS’ [Hot Bench](http://www.cbstvd.com/shows.aspx?showID=88&ref=bklyner.com) (who, FYI, is originally from Bensonhurst), lent the panel of Grand Marshals a little star power.

“This is literally the best day of my life!” DiMango gushed into the microphone.

The stage in front of Il Centro (8703-8711 18th Avenue) was packed with local community leaders and politicians, and the street was lined with Italian flags and red, white, and green balloons — proving that, despite[ demographic shifts](/once-shunned-chinese-population-booms-in-bensonhurst-and-dyker-heights/), a rich Italian American culture still flourishes in our little corner southwestern Brooklyn.

Enjoy a little highlight reel we put together, and feel free to share your own photos of the parade in the comments!