Labor Day Parade & Carnival in New York

Labor Day in New York City, is synonymous with the West Indian American Day Carnival, which is held on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, New York. It is the time when the spirit of Carnival comes to New York and people gravitate toward Brooklyn where all roads lead to Carnival. Anyone who has not witnessed or taken part in a Labor Day/West Indian American Day Carnival is missing one of the most exciting and memorable experiences of a lifetime. The rewards that await the five senses, individually and collectively exceed the wildest imagination.

This year September 4, 2006 will mark the 39th Annual West Indian American Day Carnival and Labor Day Carnival Parade. The excitement and anticipation leading up to the big main event celebration is heightened by several days of pre celebration and warm up activities such as Caribbean Carnival Style Inclusive Fete, Ladies Night, Brassfes, Panorama, Dimanche Gras and culminating in a predawn celebration called "J'Ouvert," or "jour ouvert" which means "daybreak" in French. This tradition began in Trinidad in 1937 and is now celebrated in New York in conjunction with Carnival. Traditionally, only steel drums are played as the revelers dressed in their J'Ouvert costumes (much less elaborate and expensive than the Carnival day costume) take the predawn celebration to the streets at 2 AM starting at Grand Army Plaza and dancing through Flatbush to Empire Blvd, and on to Nostrand Avenue and Linden Blvd where the revelers disperse for a few hours until 11 AM when the parade begins.