Forget Will and Kate. The biggest celebration this side of the ‘Pond’ will be Bronx Week 2011. The 40th annual salute to the best of the Bronx begins May 12 through May 22.
Events throughout the borough include concerts, exhibits, trolley tours, and events devoted to business, the arts, youth, health and more. The celebration ends on a high note with the Bronx Week Parade, a music, food and arts festival and celebrity inductions to the Bronx Walk of Fame.
“The best week of the year in our borough is back. This time we have organized even more events, while keeping the traditional ones, to celebrate the beauty, culture, talent and development of our neighborhoods and their residents. Let’s all celebrate The Bronx!” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
One of the most popular events is the Bronx Walk of Fame. Famous Bronx natives such as Regis Philbin, are honored with street posts that bear their names along historic Grand Concourse. This year’s inductees are:
Herman Badillo – a true trailblazer. In 1970 he was elected the first U.S. Congressman of Puerto Rican origin in the history of the U.S. Reelected in 1972, 1974 and 1976, Herman was the principal sponsor of the Bilingual Education Act of 1974, and as a member of the Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs, he established the first Subcommittee on Urban Affairs in the history of Congress.
Ed Lewis is the founder and chairman of Essence Magazine and is one of America’s foremost African-American entrepreneurs, community leaders, political activists, and philanthropists. Ed established Essence as the number one brand for Black women and built a multi-media empire spanning magazines, TV, the web, festivals, conferences and retail catalogues to expand its inspirational message of empowerment.
Joanie Madden is a Grammy-winning composer and flutist and the top-selling whistle player in history. Among her many honors, she is the youngest person inducted into the Irish-American Musicians Hall of Fame; the first American to win the coveted Senior All-Ireland Championship on the whistle; and was twice voted one of the Top 100 Irish-Americans in the U.S. for her contributions to promoting and preserving Irish culture in America
Jerry Vale is considered one of the leading singers of romantic music of our time. Born in the Bronx, at the age of 12, Jerry took a job shining shoes at the local barber shop to supplement his family’s income. He informally began his singing career there, entertaining customers with his beautiful tenor voice and eventually deciding to take lessons. Jerry went on to become an international ambassador for contemporary romantic music.
To take full advantage of this borough, its people, culture and vitality go to www.ilovethebronx.com. If you only go to the Bronx to watch the Yankees you will be pleasantly surprised what you will find. Make plans to attend now.
