2025 Elmont/Belmont Parade to be held on Saturday, June 7

By Robert Hines —-

2025 Elmont/Belmont Parade to be held on Saturday, June 7

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) and the Elmont Chamber of Commerce today announced the return of the Paul Sapienza Elmont/Belmont Parade on Saturday, June 7.

This year will mark the 17th edition of the cherished community event, which serves as the traditional kickoff to the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival and celebrates the Elmont community. The parade is named for the late Paul Sapienza, a lifelong Elmont resident and former president of the Elmont Chamber of Commerce.

With the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival to be held for the second year at Saratoga Race Course to allow for the uninterrupted construction of a new Belmont Park, the parade will follow its traditional route down Hempstead Turnpike ending at Belmont Park. For the first time in its history, the Paul Sapienza Elmont/Belmont Parade will be held on Belmont Stakes Day, June 7.

“The Paul Sapienza Elmont/Belmont Parade is always a special event,” said Sandra Smith, a longtime Elmont community leader. “We welcome the parade back to its traditional route, which is a sure sign that construction of the new Belmont Park is proceeding well. We thank NYRA for their continued support and look forward to many future years of marching to a spectacular new facility at Belmont Park.”

The parade will kick off at approximately 10 a.m. with marchers stepping off from the parking lot of the Alva T. Stanforth Sports Complex [700 Hempstead Turnpike] and proceeding west on Hempstead Turnpike, before proceeding to The Park at UBS Arena, which is located in the Belmont Park backyard.

This year’s grand marshal will be Tiffany Capers, President of the Elmont Board of Education. Among the participants will be elected officials, local leaders, marching bands from Elmont public schools, members of the police and fire departments and local youth organizations.

“This parade is an opportunity for businesses to give back,” said Andrew Sapienza, Paul Sapienza’s son who continues to run his family’s bake shop in Elmont. “But in a larger sense, it’s all about the kids, which is why we always focus on making it a celebration of Elmont.”

In addition to honoring Grand Marshal Capers with a key to the hamlet of Elmont, the post-parade event will include a performance by the Sewanhaka High School Marching Band and highlight the artistic talent of the Elmont community. Students from the Elmont Union Free and Sewanhaka Central High School Districts were invited to showcase their creativity while celebrating the rich history of Elmont and the excitement of the third leg of the Triple Crown. Prizes will be awarded to the winner and runners-up in each grade.

Anyone interested in marching in this year’s parade should assemble at 9:30 a.m. in the Alva T. Stanforth Sports Complex. At the finish, participants can look forward to free food, prizes and giveaways. The parade distance is approximately 1.5 miles.

Highlighted by the 157th running of the Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on Saturday, June 7, the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will be conducted at Saratoga Race Course from Wednesday, June 4 through Sunday, June 8. The festival will include 27 stakes races with purses totaling $11,275,000, the richest purses and highest number of stakes offered since the launch of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival in 2014.

For additional information about the 2025 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, visit BelmontStakes.com.