Bloomfield, Pittsburgh’s historic Italian American neighborhood, will once again host the city’s 38th annual Columbus Day Parade — sponsored by Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA) — on Saturday, October 11, at 11 a.m.
The 2025 Pittsburgh Columbus Day Parade is back and will feature more than 100 bands, floats, organizations and businesses, each paying tribute to the city’s Italian American community — the fifth largest in the nation.
See the 2025 Pittsburgh Columbus Day Parade here:
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The parade will step off on Liberty Avenue near West Penn Hospital, marching toward the Bloomfield Bridge and passing the reviewing stand in front of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church.
The parade will be emceed by Pittsburgh’s own Paul Martino and Rick DeCarlo, with special guest Viviana Altieri as La Befana.
This year’s Grand Marshal is Tony Accamando, who has devoted decades to local veterans of the Vietnam War.
Several ISDA leaders are attending and co-organizing the event, including National President Basil Russo and National co-Vice President Sharon Cerrone.
“Our strengths lie in our heritage, our families and our tenacious spirit,” said Russo. “Columbus Day parades honor that legacy, and by sharing it, we ensure it continues to define who we are.”
Longtime organizer and booster Tony Ferraro serves on the parade’s executive committee. Ferraro has raised thousands of dollars in donations to keep the parade marching on, as it approaches its 38th year.
“This popular and unique parade welcomes all of the area’s residents and invites them to experience the deep and enduring legacy of our region’s Italian American community,” said Ferraro, who also serves as board chairman of the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in Pittsburgh. “Italian Americans are proud of their heritage.”
Ed Manfredi, president of ISDA’s Victory Lodge, will serve as this year’s parade chairman.
Additionally, several Pittsburgh-area ISDA lodges are participating in the parade, including La Pace, Dante Alighieri, Victory and more, joining the thousands of annual attendees and participants.
ABOUT ISDA
Tradition, history, family, and philanthropy have defined Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA) since 1930. Our old school brick lodges and our 21st-century digital platforms bring together and reach millions of people every year, as we celebrate and promote the Italian American experience nationwide. Learn more.
COLUMBUS HISTORY
Opponents of Columbus statues and holidays often misinterpret them as tributes to colonialism. In truth, Columbus became a symbol of hope and belonging for early Italian immigrants seeking acceptance in America.
In 1891, the largest lynch mob ever to assemble on U.S. soil murdered 11 innocent Italian immigrants in New Orleans — one of the darkest chapters in American history. To ease the resulting diplomatic crisis with Italy and promote national healing, U.S. President Benjamin Harrison declared the first national Columbus Day celebration in 1892 (400 years after Columbus’s discovery of North America). The massive New York City parade drew over a million people in a powerful display of unity and recognition.
Related story from The Washington Post: The first Columbus Day was born of violence — and political calculation
That event inspired generations of Italian Americans to build Columbus statues and organize parades — not to glorify conquest, but to assert their place in American society and honor their heritage. Today, Columbus Day continues to stand as a symbol of Italian American pride and perseverance.
In recent years, Russo has worked directly with the White House to ensure that federal Columbus Day proclamations reflect and clarify this rich and widely misunderstood history.
(Photo credit: Russell Carman)
