New Yorkers expressed their outrage after the annual Columbus Day Parade was called off due to a nor’easter sweeping through the city, marking the first cancellation in nearly a century due to inclement weather.
“They f’n canceled Columbus Day Parade in NYC because of rain,” lamented an irate individual, Jack W, on X.
“RAIN!! That’s such a bs excuse & you know why! We don’t care if it’s rain, we want our parades etc back!!” he added.
The parade—set for its 81st year—was canceled late Sunday, abruptly just twelve hours before its scheduled start on Monday, with no plans to reschedule.
The forecasts leading up to the holiday predicted wet and windy conditions, which left many questioning whether the parade would still occur despite the weather.
Initially, it seemed the parade was still a go until Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency Sunday evening, prompting parade organizers to make the difficult decision.
“Due to the Governor’s declaration of a State of Emergency tonight in reaction to the severe weather conditions caused by the nor’easter, featuring high winds, heavy rainfall, and flooding in surrounding areas, we must cancel the 81st Annual Columbus Day Parade for the safety of all participants and spectators,” shared the Columbus Citizens Foundation, responsible for organizing the event, on Instagram.
This year marked the first cancellation of the parade over weather-related issues since its inception in 1929, NBC New York noted, and it was also the first instance of cancellation since the pandemic in 2020.
Though heavy rainfall affected the area Sunday night, by Monday much of the severe weather had shifted to the coastline, resulting in only a gloomy, drizzly day in the city—leading some New Yorkers to express frustration that the celebrations could have proceeded.
“It’s barely raining!” one user commented on the Instagram post.
“Wait! @NYCMayor et al CANCELLED the #ColumbusDayParade because it’s raining?!” one user reacted, mistakenly blaming city officials for the cancellation.
“What happened to tough NYC? Wussy girlie men can’t handle a little rain?! The last Columbus Day parade before Mamdani gets in? How could you be so wimpy? Grow a spine NYC! #ColumbusDay2025,” the user added angrily.
The outraged parade enthusiast wasn’t alone in their concern regarding the future of Columbus Day celebrations in NYC—Mayor Eric Adams has also voiced apprehensions that it could come under scrutiny if Zohran Mamdani wins his City Hall race this November.
Mamdani has been vocally critical of Christopher Columbus, even gesturing at a statue of the explorer with a middle finger back in 2020 and posting “Take it down” in a tweet that year.
Additionally, many expressed frustration that while the Columbus Day Parade was canceled, a “Gaza 5k” event meant to raise money for a Hamas-associated charity was still held in Brooklyn as the storm approached—an event that Mamdani participated in.
“Any comment about the Gaza 5k that took place yet the Columbus Day parade was cancelled????” one infuriated user tweeted, tagging Gov. Hochul and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY).
