{"id":41696,"date":"2023-10-09T07:42:09","date_gmt":"2023-10-09T11:42:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/?p=41696"},"modified":"2023-10-09T07:42:09","modified_gmt":"2023-10-09T11:42:09","slug":"columbus-day-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2023\/10\/09\/columbus-day-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Columbus Day 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"
\nIt’s Columbus Day, and while we celebrate the intrepid explorer and Italian heritage, in Philadelphia we pause to remember a very big part of the celebration — Jerry Blavat<\/em>.
\n<\/p>\n

Jerry passed away this past January and it felt as part of Philadelphia passed with him. Whether it was a Church fundraiser or an oldies show or anything to do with South Philadelphia, it was impossible not to run into this man. He and his energy are missed especially with this year’s Columbus Day Parade. The show went on, but without Blavat and without his many connections to Italian-American celebrities. We miss you, Jerry!<\/p>\n

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2013 Jerry Blavat and Bobby Rydell<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"

2015 Frankie Avalon and Jerry Blavat<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"

2016 Jerry Blavat and Danny Aiello<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"

2017 Connie Francis and Jerry Blavat<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"

2022 Jerry Blavat and Deana Martin<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It’s Columbus Day, and while we celebrate the intrepid explorer and Italian heritage, in Philadelphia we pause to remember a very big part of the celebration — Jerry Blavat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[176,4,104,2093],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41696","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-holiday","category-news","category-philadelphia","category-photography-2"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1ed1x-aQw","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":39899,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2023\/01\/20\/jerry-blavat\/","url_meta":{"origin":41696,"position":0},"title":"Jerry Blavat","author":"Tina Garceau","date":"January 20, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"I found out this morning that Jerry Blavat passed away. He was a Philadelphia DJ\/institution who hosted Philly's annual Columbus Day Parade. As a popular DJ, he was as important to Rock and Roll music as the musicians. He seemed to have boundless energy and his calendar was full of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/DeanaJerry-scaled-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/DeanaJerry-scaled-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/DeanaJerry-scaled-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/DeanaJerry-scaled-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":19765,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2015\/10\/12\/happy-columbus-day\/","url_meta":{"origin":41696,"position":1},"title":"Happy Columbus Day!","author":"Tina Garceau","date":"October 12, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Columbus Day is on October 12th, but the Columbus Day parade was held on the 11th. Starting at Washington Avenue and ending deep, DEEP in South Philadelphia. One of Philadelphia's favorite sons, Frankie Avalon was this year's Grand Marshal of the parade, along with Philadelphia radio legend Jerry Blavat in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Holiday"","block_context":{"text":"Holiday","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/holiday\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Pope.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Pope.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Pope.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":21161,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2016\/10\/10\/philadelphia-columbus-day-parade-2016\/","url_meta":{"origin":41696,"position":2},"title":"Philadelphia Columbus Day Parade 2016","author":"Tina Garceau","date":"October 10, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Along the parade route on Broad Street - Jerry Blavat and Grand Marshal Danny Aiello.","rel":"","context":"In "Philadelphia"","block_context":{"text":"Philadelphia","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/philadelphia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/BlavatAiello-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/BlavatAiello-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/BlavatAiello-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/BlavatAiello-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/BlavatAiello-2.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/BlavatAiello-2.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39231,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2022\/10\/10\/columbus-day-parade-2022\/","url_meta":{"origin":41696,"position":3},"title":"Columbus Day Parade 2022","author":"Tina Garceau","date":"October 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday was The Columbus Day Parade on South Broad Street. Dean Martin's daughter, Deana presided as the Grand Marshal, with Jerry Blavat. More photos under the cut. \u00a0","rel":"","context":"In "Holiday"","block_context":{"text":"Holiday","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/holiday\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Band-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Band-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Band-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Band-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Band-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Band-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":22693,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2017\/10\/09\/philadelphia-columbus-day-parade-2017\/","url_meta":{"origin":41696,"position":4},"title":"Philadelphia Columbus Day Parade 2017","author":"Tina Garceau","date":"October 9, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Who's Sorry Now? Not me, I got to meet the magnificent Connie Francis,\u00a0Grand Marshal of Philadelphia's Columbus Day Parade held yesterday on Broad Street. Pictured is Ms. Francis with disc jockey Jerry Blavat -\u00a0\"The Geator with the Heater\". More photos behind the cut.\u00a0 SaveSave SaveSave","rel":"","context":"In "Holiday"","block_context":{"text":"Holiday","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/holiday\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/CDPconnie.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/CDPconnie.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/CDPconnie.jpg?fit=640%2C480&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14588,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2013\/10\/14\/jerry-weve-got-to-stop-meeting-like-this\/","url_meta":{"origin":41696,"position":5},"title":"Jerry, We’ve Got to Stop Meeting Like This!","author":"Tina Garceau","date":"October 14, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"We took a stroll down to Marconi Plaza yesterday to see Philadelphia's Columbus Day parade. Bestill my girlish heart, my make believe boyfriend Jerry Blavat was riding in a convertible with teenage idol and Grand Marshall of the parade, Bobby Rydell! See how happy Jerry is to see me twice\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Holiday"","block_context":{"text":"Holiday","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/holiday\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/JerryParade.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/JerryParade.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/JerryParade.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41696","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41696"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41696\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41696"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41696"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41696"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}