A mile-long stretch of Shrewsbury Street will once again be the setting for the Worcester Columbus Day Parade. The annual event will be held this Sunday - always the day before the holiday - with the first marchers stepping off at 12:30 p.m.

The route starts at Aitchison Street, near Belmont Street, and runs west, to Washington Square, near Union Station. The grand marshal of this year’s parade is Paul Verdini, president of the Armed Forces Committee of Worcester County. The parade, in its 24th year, is a celebration of the Italian heritage of many city residents. This year’s theme is: “SERVING: God, Country, and Family.”