Celebrations began Monday morning at Binghamton City Hall with members of the city’s Italian-American community for the raising of the Italian Flag. Following the flag-raising ceremony and a performance by Tri-Cities Opera Singer Kyrie Laybourn, the downtown streets were already filling up with community members and families for the annual Columbus Day Parade and Italian Festival.

This year’s grand marshal in the parade is Binghamton City Councilman Giovanni Scaringi. Local Italian fraternal organizations, police and fire agencies, antique vehicles and sports organizations also marched. The parade would not be complete without the annual Tournament of Marching Bands where schools are judged on music, color guard and drum major performances in front of judges on Court Street.