MAIN Holidays & Observances Labor Day Carnival Parade

The end of summer means catching all the color and excitement along Eastern Parkway for the Brooklyn carnival parade on Labor Day, Monday, September 1, 2025.

All about Brooklyn's West Indian Day Parade

The West Indian American Day Parade & Carnival is marching into its fifth decade, and continues to enjoy the distinction of being New York City's biggest cultural festivals by far.

As always, you can always count on crowds to be waving flags from Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados, Grenada, Haiti, and other Caribbean nations in a joyful expression of ethnic heritage and cultural pride.

You don't have to be from the West Indies

Everyone's invited to take part in the spectacle of thousands of marchers in colorful costumes 'jumpin' down the parade route to the sounds of reggae and calypso.

A special added-attraction : the aromas of native foods like Jamaican jerk chicken, Bajan fried flying fish, and other soul-satisfying treats at the city's biggest street festival.

And that's just on Labor Day.

Takin' the weekend off

In fact, the entire weekend is devoted to special events — with a special Kiddie Carnival on Saturday (which runs from President Street to the grounds of the Brooklyn Museum of Art); a Dimanche Gras (Fat Sunday) celebration; and an early Monday morning (starting around 3AM) J'Ouvert parade, a celebration of steel pan drums that kicks off the main parade beginning at 11AM.

Colorful steel band performances and other concerts throughout the weekend are also held at the nearby Brooklyn Museum on Eastern Parkway.

Where to watch: The wide open spaces of Grand Army Plaza and Brooklyn Museum are great viewing points. Later, stroll up Easter Parkway for the best eats.

Have fun!

DID YOU KNOW? West Indian Day Parade fun facts

• Each year, months of preparation go into the parade and carnival. That includes creating costumes, hiring music bands, arranging for food vendors, and organizing cultural events.

• Attending the Brooklyn carnival is like a foodie tour of the Caribbean. Take your pick from jerk chicken and fried fish, to a variety of regional foods including meat patties, coconut bread, fried plantains, breadfruit, sweet potato pie, carrot cake, rum punch and ginger beer.

• While most attendees come from NYC's five boroughs, some visitors travel to the carnival from nearby New Jersey and Connecticut and as far away as the Great Britain and Canada.

• The total economic impact in sales and tourism for NYC from the parade and carnival is about $300 million annually.

West Indian American Carnival photo gallery

Celebrating the end of summer with food, music, fun and spectacle at the West Indian American Day Parade.

also see -> Caribbean Travel Guides   |   Junkanoo

Labor Day Sales

More about the West Indian American Day Parade around the Web:

Around the Web, learn more about the West Indian Labor Day Carnival & Parade featuring history & fun facts, details and directions to the parade route, and tips & advice on best viewing areas ...as Brooklyn rocks to a Caribbean beat this Labor Day weekend :

West Indian American Day Carnival Association - The official site of the parade organizers, offering facts & information on the parade's history, this year's schedule & directions, news & press releases, picture gallery.

Labor Day Carnival - Overview of parade history, related resources & photos from Wikipedia.