Excitement is building in Crown Heights as preparations are underway for this year’s Lag Baomer Parade, with thousands of children from over a dozen Crown Heights schools, together with their parents, set to take part in one of the largest Lag Baomer parades worldwide.

The streets have already been decorated with streamers, flags, and festive displays across the parade route.

The parade will begin at 11:15 AM on Eastern Parkway and Brooklyn Avenue, outside Oholei Torah. From there, the procession will move down Eastern Parkway, passing 770 Eastern Parkway, and continuing straight until it reaches Albany Avenue.

At Albany, the parade will turn and continue down Albany until Lefferts Boulevard. From Lefferts, the route will turn again onto Troy Avenue, continuing straight down Troy until Rutland Road, where the parade will conclude and the grand rally will take place.

As the parade moves through Crown Heights, schools from across the neighborhood will join at different points along the route. Each group will merge into the procession as it passes their location, with banners, flags and singing – as the procession becomes a full community-wide display of unity, with thousands of children walking together in honor of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.

This year’s parade carries a special theme marking 50 years since the Rebbe introduced the Yud Beis Pesukim and Maamorei Chazal. The Rebbe introduced the first six Pesukim on Rosh Chodesh Iyar 5736, and the second six on Lag BaOmer of that same year, making this milestone especially meaningful.

Twelve massive 15-foot inflatable archways will line the parade route, each one designed around one of the 12 Pesukim, with a 13th arch representing Geulah and completing the set. The children will be able to literally pass under the pesukim as they march. The arches have already arrived in Crown Heights and were recently tested to ensure everything is fully prepared.

At the end of the route on Rutland Road, the thousands of participants will gather for a grand rally, where children will come together for the recitation of the Pesukim, niggunim, and words of Torah, along with entertainment for the children.

Eastern Parkway
11:15 – Brooklyn
11:22 – Kingston
11:30 – Albany

Albany Avenue
11:32 – Union
11:34 – President
11:36 – Carroll
11:38 – Crown
11:40 – Montgomery
11:42 – Empire
11:45 – Lefferts

Lefferts Avenue
Troy Avenue
11:52 – Lefferts
11:54 – East NY
11:56 – Maple
11:59 – Rutland