Members of Fuerza Internacional perform to traditional Puerto Rican music during the Puerto Rican Parade in Roxbury.

(clockwise from top right) People ride in a car decked out with Puerto Rican flags; Mayor Michelle Wu greets the crowds lining Columbus Avenue; Nimzay Vazquez, 19, left, and Luz Molina, 14, join other honorary reinas, or queens, on a parade float; NAACP Boston Branch President Tanisha Sullivan takes a selfie with Eroc Arroyo Montano, U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley and City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo; Capito, a fearless chihuahua, barks at a passing horse; Marlene Pedroza of Cambridge with her daughter Bella Padilla, who she says is the first honorary queen of the Massachusetts Puerto Rican Festival. PHOTOS: ANGELA ROWLINGS

(clockwise from top left) The crowd cheers as the Puerto Rican Parade passes through Egleston Square in Roxbury; Iliana Sanchez, 9, Little Miss Puerto Rican Festival; Members of the Roberto Clemente 21 Dancers perform during the parade; Jonathan Guzman of Lawrence dressed as a vejigante; Hilda Rodriguez of Boston stays cool under a Puerto Rican flag umbrella; Elijah Ordoñez, 2 months, watches the parade while cradled in the arms of his cousin, Wilfredo Falcon. PHOTOS: ANGELA ROWLINGS

Island culture and pride during Sunday parade

By the time the marching band at the head of the Puerto Rican parade reached the intersection of Blue Hill Avenue and Columbia Road, the tail of the parade was still on Columbus Avenue, making its way toward Egleston Square.

“This is the largest parade we’ve had,” said Edwin Alicea, president of the Puerto Rican Festival of Massachusetts.

In addition to the usual complement of elected officials and office-seekers, the parade included eight floats, more than 300 classic and custom cars and more than a dozen dance troupes among the 80-or-so official parade entrants.

Puerto Rican flags adorned the shirts and hats of those in the parade and those watching. Cars and vans with massive speaker arrays blasted the salsa, reggaeton, bomba and plena music forms that originated on the island of just over three million people.

After several years in downtown Boston and two years during which the pandemic shut down the parade and festival, the party returned this year to the Franklin Park Playstead area.

From the vantage point inside the parade route, Roxbury had erupted in Puerto Rican pride.

“The crowds are huge,” said Mayor Michelle Wu, who marched with other elected leaders. “It’s amazing to witness the love and enthusiasm here today.”

Whipping up the crowd’s fervor, Jorge Arce led a band playing plena music from a float hosted by Goya Foods.

Arce said he’s glad the festival has returned to Roxbury.

“This is where the community is,” he said. “The Puerto Rican festival belongs to the community.”

In addition to Sunday’s parade, this year’s festival featured three nights of music and carnival rides.

Alicea said the shift back to Franklin Park was necessitated by the ongoing reconstruction of City Hall Plaza. He said he’s not yet sure whether the festival will return to downtown once the plaza work is complete.

“It has not been decided,” he said. “People want us here. But we want to share our culture with everybody. We’ll consider going back to City Hall Plaza, depending on the circumstances.”