The 89th Annual Pulaski Day Parade steps off Sunday, October 4, 2026, at 12:30 PM on Fifth Avenue, marching from 39th Street to 51st Street. Grand Marshal Dr. Iwona Korga leads more than 60 contingents. A Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral opens the day at 9:00 AM.
Twelve blocks of Fifth Avenue. More than 60 contingents. A choir that flew in from Rzeszów to sing at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
On Sunday, October 4, 2026, the General Pulaski Memorial Parade Committee, Inc. brings the 89th Annual Pulaski Day Parade to Manhattan. The parade steps off at 12:30 PM and marches up Fifth Avenue from 39th Street to 51st Street.
A theme built for an anniversary year
The committee has chosen a theme that ties two centuries together: “For Our Freedom and Yours! General Kościuszko and General Pułaski—Soldiers of Liberty for Poland and America. Saluting 250 Years of American Independence.”
The timing is deliberate. The United States marks the 250th anniversary of its independence this year, and the parade uses that occasion to point at two men who are easy to forget in the American telling of the Revolution.
General Casimir Pulaski crossed the Atlantic to fight for a country that was not yet a country. He is remembered as the Father of the American Cavalry, and he died in the struggle for American independence. General Tadeusz Kościuszko crossed the same ocean for the same cause. Both names now stand for something larger than either man: the friendship between Poland and the United States, and a commitment to freedom and democracy that both nations claim as their own.
Who leads the parade
This year’s Grand Marshal is the Honorable Dr. Iwona Korga, President of the Piłsudski Institute in New York. She will lead Polish Americans, community organizations, youth groups, schools, veterans, marching bands, cultural organizations, and visiting delegations in what the committee calls one of the largest annual celebrations of Polish heritage in the United States.
Walking with her will be Honorary Marshal Dr. hab. Karol Polejowski, recognized for his distinguished service and his commitment to preserving and promoting Polish history, heritage, and national identity.
The day, hour by hour
The parade is the loudest part of October 4, but it is not the first.
The day opens at 9:00 AM with Holy Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The traditional Pulaski Day Parade Breakfast follows at 10:30 AM at the 3 West Club. The parade itself steps off at 12:30 PM.
The Mass carries its own event inside it. The Jutrzenka Choir will be joined by choirs from Rzeszów, Poland, for a combined performance celebrating Polish faith, culture, and heritage, and the friendship between the two countries. In all, roughly 53 musicians and choir members from Rzeszów are taking part in this year’s celebrations.
Who marches
More than 60 contingents and organizations will fill the avenue: Polish-American communities from across the region, Polish supplementary schools, youth organizations, the Miss Polonias and Junior Miss Polonias, marching bands, and special guests and delegations from Poland.
The committee also recognizes the Polish & Slavic Federal Credit Union, the parade’s Diamond Sponsor, which is marking its own 50th anniversary of service to the Polish-American community this year.
The celebrations start in September
The official calendar opens more than two weeks before Parade Day. The Annual Pulaski Day Parade Banquet takes place Friday, September 18, 2026, at 6:30 PM at The Venetian in Garfield, New Jersey, with entertainment by the Polish artist Andrzej Piaseczny and the Siamone band.
In the committee’s words
“The Pulaski Day Parade is the greatest manifestation of Polish culture and pride in the United States. This year, as America celebrates 250 years of independence, we are especially proud to honor Generals Pulaski and Kościuszko and the historic bonds of friendship between Poland and the United States. We invite the entire Polish-American community, all New Yorkers, and visitors from throughout the country to join us on Fifth Avenue on October 4.”
— Richard Zawisny, President, General Pulaski Memorial Parade Committee, Inc.
The committee invites the public, members of the media, elected officials, community leaders, Polish-American organizations, and friends of Poland to take part.
Event information
- Annual Pulaski Day Parade Banquet – Friday, September 18, 2026, 6:30 PM. The Venetian, Garfield, New Jersey.
- Pulaski Day Mass – Sunday, October 4, 2026, 9:00 AM. St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York City.
- Pulaski Day Breakfast – Sunday, October 4, 2026, 10:30 AM. 3 West Club, New York City.
- 89th Annual Pulaski Day Parade – Sunday, October 4, 2026, 12:30 PM. Fifth Avenue, 39th Street to 51st Street, New York City.
Media contact: General Pulaski Memorial Parade Committee, Inc., Richard Zawisny, President. Telephone (718) 499-0026, e-mail [email protected].
Poland.us Editorial
