By CYNTHIA R. FAGEN
June 8, 2008
Today's the day to put on your salsa shoes and party at the 51st Puerto Rican Day Parade along Fifth Avenue.
The parade runs from 43rd Street to 86th Street, and begins at 11 a.m.
Today will be a scorcher, with temps hitting the mid-90s with high humidity.
Francisco Romeo, the parade's entertainment director, said he expects a record 2 million revelers. "This is the biggest cultural event in the US. It's going to be a lot of fun," he said
Among the scheduled celebrity participants are John Leguizamo and Rosie Perez, rapper Fat Joe and last year's "America's Top Model" winner, Jaslene Gonzalez.
Grand Marshal Dennis Rivera, the city's longtime health-care labor leader and head of the Service Employees International Union, will lead the merengue march.
Some 1,000 uniformed cops will be on hand.
As usual, many cross streets will be closed along the parade route during the four-hour march, so it's best to take mass transit.
Fox-5 will air the parade live from 11 a.m to 1 p.m., and then Channel 9 from 1 to 3.
