ORLANDO, Fla. — The annual Florida Puerto Rican Parade & Festival highlights a different city on the island every year.
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The year, the celebration will spotlight Juncos.
Although it is only a fraction of the size of the capital, it plays a significant role in the island’s economy.
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Jancos is a small town surrounded by mountains about 40 minutes southeast of San Juan
“Juncos is a relatively small town, about 36,000 people, compared to San Juan, which has about 333,000 people,” said Fernando Rivera, director of the Puerto Rico Research Hub.
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Rivera said despite its size, Juncos still packs an economic punch.
The city also has a tie to Puerto Rican baseball legend Roberto Clemente.
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Early in his career, Clemente played for their amateur team, the Juncos Mules, winning a championship with the team in August of 1952.
Channel 9 will have live coverage of this year’s Florida Puerto Rican Parade starting at 11 a.m. Saturday.
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