Announcing the 153rd San Francisco Italian Heritage Parade
The nation’s longest continuously running Italian Heritage Parade takes to the streets of San Francisco on Sunday, October 10, 2021
Graziano Cerchiai, owner of SF’s famous Bimbo’s 365 Club, named parade Grand Marshal
The San Francisco Italian Heritage Parade is proud to announce its return to the streets of San Francisco on Sunday, October 10, 2021. The Italian Heritage Parade will be the first major parade to take place in the city since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and will once again coincide with San Francisco Fleet Week.
Graziano Cerchiai, owner of SF’s famous Bimbo’s 365 Club, will be honored as parade Grand Marshal in recognition of the club’s 90th anniversary. Recognized by San Francisco Heritage as one of the city’s 100 Legacy Bars and Restaurants, Bimbo’s on Columbus Avenue is still run by Graziano and his sons Michael and Gino. The club’s allure of sophisticated decor invokes nights of dinner theater, dance palaces, and black-tie dress codes.
“The Italian Heritage Parade is a unique San Francisco event and will serve as a big boost to our tourism and economic recovery efforts this Fall,” said Joe D’Alessandro, San Francisco Travel president and CEO. “With every major civic and cultural event that comes back to the City, we have more inspiration to rally the community together and support each other.”
“The San Francisco Italian Heritage Parade is ready to return safely as an in-person event this Fall and we couldn’t be more excited to bring the community together,” said Bill Mastrangelo, President, San Francisco Italian Heritage Parade. “We welcome everyone to North Beach and Fisherman’s Wharf to support our local businesses and enjoy what will be another incredible event.”
The parade begins at 12:30 pm at the foot of Jefferson and Stockton Streets in Fisherman’s Wharf and ends in Washington Square in front of Sts. Peter and Paul Church. It will feature Italian and Italian-American dignitaries, music, performances, floats and representatives of Italian and Italian-American organizations and businesses. Additional dignitaries will be announced soon.
The San Francisco Italian Heritage Parade is the longest continuously running Italian Heritage Parade in the United States and celebrates the accomplishments and culture of all Italian-Americans. The inaugural parade took place in 1868 in San Francisco’s downtown, featuring the bands and marching units of Italian fraternal organizations, including the Garibaldi Guard, Swiss Guards and Lafayette Guards. Throughout the years, it has remained a sign of the vitality of the Italian communities in the Bay Area.