New Yorkers hoping clear skies stick around for event-filled weekend
NEW YORK -- After days of haze-filled skies, New Yorkers welcome the opportunity to spend some time outside this weekend.
The excitement is building for Sunday's Puerto Rican Day Parade, which kicks off at 11 a.m.
"We're gonna have a lot of fun being on the avenue marching," Mayor Eric Adams said.
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Hundreds of people looking forward to Sunday came out to celebrate at the Puerto Rican Day Parade Gala on Friday night.
"We're at capacity with floats, so we ran out of floats. We're expecting a pretty good turnout," said parade board member Louis Maldonado.
"When you're walking down Fifth Avenue waving that flag, nothing, nothing makes you feel prouder than that," said former Bronx borough president Ruben Diaz Jr.
It's also time for New York City's biggest party; the Governors Ball kicked off Friday at its new Flushing Meadows location.
"We can be outside again and hang out and everyone can get along and have a good time," one festival attendee said.
It was a huge contrast from orange skies on Wednesday to blue skies on Friday. The Pack family from Illinois arrived in town just in time.
"We're so glad that we're able to make it and the air's clean. We love it. We're glad to be here," Brian Pack said.
Training and racing at Belmont Park was canceled Thursday due to air quality, but Saturday's Belmont Stakes is set to go on as scheduled.
"The eyes of the sports world certainly turn to Belmont Park for Belmont Stakes Day on Saturday," said Patrick McKenna, with the New York Racing Association.
Another band of smoke and haze may move through the region Saturday, but it does appear the worst is behind us.