ABC7 Chicago is the only local television station to broadcast this year's parade. (The parade takes place on Saturday, May 1st at 11:30 a.m.)
The theme for the 119th annual Polish Constitution Day Parade will be "Frederic Chopin - Poland's Gift to the World." This year's parade will also remember the late president of Poland, Lech Kaczynski and his wife, Maria, as well as the other victims who recently perished in a fatal plane crash. Representatives of the Polish Consulate will carry large portraits of the late President and Mrs. Kaczynski to begin the parade. Family members of Chicago artist Wojciech Seweryn, who created the Katyn memorial in Niles, Illinois, will carry his portrait. Portraits of the remaining 94 plane crash victims will be carried by surviving family members and the Polish Scouting organization. All Polish flags will be draped in black memorial ribbons.
The Polish Constitution Day Parade is the largest Polish parade outside of Poland and celebrates the anniversary of the ratification of the Polish constitution on May 3, 1791. For 119 years, Polonia's various community organizations have come together to organize this traditional Chicago salute to pride and tradition. According to Anna Zolkowski Sobor, Vice Chair of the Polish Constitution Day Parade Committee, "Even in light of the recent tragedy, the parade will go on as it has for more than 100 years; we mourn our loss, but we are resilient people and we will, as we have done in the past, move forward."
Judy Hsu, Karen Jordan, Phil Schwarz and Karen Meyer are scheduled to participate in the festivities and will ride along the parade route on Columbus Drive from Balboa to Monroe atop ABC7 Chicago's float.
"The Polish Constitution Day Parade," is available on-demand at www.abc7chicago.com.
ABC7 Chicago's Christopher Bowen is the executive producer of the parade.
