NYC Politicians Urge Mayor to Host Ticker-Tape Parade for Artemis II Astronauts

Bipartisan group demands celebration for historic moon mission crew

Apr. 18, 2026 at 3:40pm

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A group of New York City politicians, including Council Speaker Julie Menin and Minority Leader David Carr, are calling on Mayor Zohran Mamdani to host a ticker-tape parade to honor the Artemis II astronauts. The Artemis II mission marked the first time humans have traveled to the moon since 1972, and the council members argue the crew deserves a celebratory parade down the Canyon of Heroes, similar to the one held for the Apollo 11 astronauts in 1969.

Why it matters

Ticker-tape parades in New York City are rare and highly symbolic events that bring the community together to celebrate major achievements. The Artemis II mission was a landmark moment in space exploration, and honoring the astronauts with a parade would recognize their historic accomplishment and inspire the public.

The details

The Artemis II crew - Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen - traveled 252,760 miles from Earth during their nine-day voyage around the moon, setting a new distance record for manned space travel. The council members argue this feat deserves the same level of celebration as the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, when 4 million New Yorkers welcomed Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins.

  • The Artemis II mission took place in 2026.
  • The last ticker-tape parade for astronauts was held in 1969 for the Apollo 11 crew.

The players

Julie Menin

New York City Council Speaker.

David Carr

New York City Council Minority Leader.

Zohran Mamdani

Mayor of New York City.

Reid Wiseman

Artemis II astronaut.

Victor Glover

Artemis II astronaut.

Christina Koch

Artemis II astronaut.

Jeremy Hansen

Artemis II astronaut.

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What they’re saying

“In a world that has become increasingly polarized and often hostile, there are very few events that bring us all together to remind us of the joy of human existence and the beauty of the planet we all share. The historic Artemis II mission was one of them.”

— Julie Menin, New York City Council Speaker

“The Artemis II astronauts boldly went where no other humans had gone before, traveling 252,760 miles from Earth during their nine-day voyage around the moon — the farthest any humans have ever traveled. But we believe their mission is not complete without a ticker-tape parade down the Canyon of Heroes.”

— David Carr, New York City Council Minority Leader

What’s next

The city is expected to make a decision on whether to host a ticker-tape parade for the Artemis II astronauts in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

The push for a ticker-tape parade highlights the public's desire to celebrate the historic Artemis II mission and the sense of unity and pride it can inspire, even in a politically divided time. Honoring the astronauts' achievement would be a symbolic moment for the city and the nation.