47th Annual Morris Park Columbus Day Parade to take place Sunday

A Bronx tradition marches up Morris Park Avenue
Photo by Walter Pofeldt A marching band makes its way up Morris Park Avenue as part of the annual Columbus Day Parade.
File photo

The upcoming 47th Bronx – Morris Park Columbus Day Parade will honor Bronx Chamber of Commerce Chair Anthony Mormile as Grand Marshal along with Bronx author and educator Tony Morante as Honorary Marshal.

Hosted by the Morris Park Community Association, the Oct. 13 celebration of Italian-American heritage will parade down Morris Park Avenue and culminate with a Columbus Day Carnival at Loreto Park.

A Bronx native and community leader, Mormile is the Senior Vice President and Senior Loan Officer for Orange Trust and Bank, where he has worked since 2018. In 2022, following the death of his mentor Joe Kelleher, the former Chair of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce, Mormile was elected unanimously to fill his shoes.

Al D’angelo, president of the Morris Park Community Association, spoke about the decision to honor Mormile at this year’s parade.

Anthony Mormile will be honored as the Grand Marshal in the 47th annual Morris Park Columbus Day Parade.Photo courtesy Vanessa Baijnauth

“Anthony Mormile has been very active in the community,” D’angelo said. “Anything that the community needs, he is right there with the bank to support the community. He came in and hit the ground running.”

Mormile grew up on historic Arthur Avenue, a Bronx area long known for its Italian-American culture. He has been a champion of small businesses in the Bronx, obtaining grants to support Bronx businesses during his over a decade of service as the Bronx Chamber of Commerce Treasurer.

Also, raised on Arthur Avenue, Morante celebrates the Italian-American culture, food and music that he enjoyed as a young man in the Bronx. He became an usher at Yankee Stadium before joining the Navy.

With the Bronx County Historical Society, Morante started giving walking tours of Yankee Stadium in 1979, and by 1998 had opened a tours department at the stadium, with the revenue supporting the Yankees Foundation, a nonprofit that brings sports and education to New York City Youth.

Morante, a lifelong advocate for education wrote, “”Baseball: The New York Game – How The National Pastime Paralleled US History” to help frame the great American pastime through the lens of its historical context, especially during times of conflict or crisis.

The weekend’s events will kick-off on Friday with a party at the Morris Park Community Association on Bronxdale Avenue starting at 7 p.m. The Community Association will introduce Miss Columbus, Victoria Francimore of Cardinal Spellman High School, and Junior Miss Columbus, Maria McNerny from St. Theresa School.

D’angelo also acknowledged this year’s selection for Miss Columbus saying Francimore’s grades were “unbelievable” and calling her interview “dynamic.”

This year’s parade starts at noon, and will include marching bands, school groups, community groups and local merchants. Then, families can try their luck at carnival games to win prizes. Children under age 12 will automatically get two tickets to try their luck.