Spectacular costumes are all part of the fun of annual West Indian American Day Carnival on Labor Day in Brooklyn (photo by twi-ny/mdr)
Eastern Pkwy. from Schenectady Ave. to Grand Army Plaza
Monday, September 4, free, 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
718-467-1797
www.wiadca.com
Every Labor Day, millions of people line Eastern Parkway, celebrating the city’s best annual parade, the West Indian American Day Carnival, waving flags from such nations as Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, the Cayman Islands, Antigua, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Aruba, Curaçao, and many more. This year is the fiftieth anniversary of the parade, with a tribute to reggae legend Bob Marley. The festivities actually begin on August 31, with special events (listed below) every day leading up to the parade. The Labor Day partying commences at 6:00 am with the traditional J’Ouvert Morning, a precarnival procession featuring steel drums and percussion and fabulous, inexpensive masquerade costumes, marching from Grand Army Plaza to Flatbush Ave. and on to Empire Blvd., then to Nostrand Ave. and Midwood St.; there will be more of a police presence to prevent the violence that has occurred the last several years. The Parade of Bands begins immediately after, around 11:00 am, as truckloads of blasting Caribbean music and groups of ornately dressed dancers, costume bands, masqueraders, moko jumbies, and thousands of others bump and grind their way down Eastern Parkway to Grand Army Plaza, participating in one last farewell to the flesh prior to Lent. Don’t eat before you go; the great homemade food includes ackee and saltfish, oxtail stew, breadfruit, macaroni pie, curried goat, jerk chicken, fishcakes, rice and peas, and red velvet cake. The farther east you venture, the more closed in it gets; by the time you get near Crown Heights, it could take you half an hour just to cross the street, so take it easy and settle in for a fun, colorful day where you need not hurry. In addition, be prepared to see a whole lotta twerkin’ going on.
Thursday, August 31
Reggae Unda Di Stars, with Wunmi, Stonebwoy Dajah, Cocoa Tea with Derrick Barnett & Statement Band, Stephen “Ragga” Marley, Road International, Cali B, Max Glazer and Kenny Meez, and more, hosted by DJ Roy, Brooklyn Museum grounds, $60, 7:00 pm – 1:00 am
Friday, September 1
Brassfest: Panorama Competition, with the Allstars, Blaxx, Ricardo Drue, Teddyson John, Tizzy, Lyrikal, Farmer Nappy, Problem Child, Lavaman, MX Prime, Motto, Sedale, Elizabeth Watley & the Outta Limitz Band, Rayzor & the Request Band, and King Bubba, hosted by MC Wassy and Vibezman Redman, Brooklyn Museum grounds, $65, 7:00 pm – 1:00 am
Saturday, September 2
Junior Carnival Parade, with music by DJ One Plus, hosted by Jemma Jordan, St. John’s Place between Kingston & Brooklyn Aves. to Brooklyn Museum at Washington Ave., $5, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday, September 3
Dimanche Gras, with the Mighty Sparrow, Rose King, David Rudder, Lord Nelson, Swallow, Ras Iley, Natasha Wilson, Dane Gulston and the Sunshine Band, Ole Mas competition, Boodoosingh Tassa Drummers, and more, hosted by MC Wassy and Jemma Jordan, Brooklyn Museum grounds, $35, 7:00 pm – 1:00 am