West Indian American Day Carnival In Brooklyn Today!

Photograph from last year's parade by midlakemarion on Flickr

Today is the 42nd annual West Indian American Day Carnival in Brooklyn, celebrating the cultures of the Caribbean. The colorful parade, estimated to be the city's largest with 3 million revelers, heads down Eastern Parkway, from Utica Avenue to Flatbush Avenue, and features costume bands, masqueraders, moko jumbies (stilt walkers!), floats and many more sights. The parade started at 8 a.m. and will go until 6 p.m., so you'll have plenty of opportunity to check it out.

Especially since this is an election year, expect to see lots of candidates for citywide office on the scene. The carnival association also promises lots of enticing food: "All of Eastern Parkway will be host to various dishes from every Caribbean island. There will be stands lined up along the service roads selling jerk chicken, chicken stew, fried chicken, beef stew, oxtail, rice and peas, salad, macaroni pie, fried flying fish, curry goat, roti, callaloo, souse, salt fish, fried bake, coconut bread, and much more. There is plenty to choose from, whatever your diet may be." Mmm—more details here.

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By Jen Chung in Arts & Entertainment on September 7, 2009 9:55 AM

Comments [rss]

MrManhattan

You should see Carnival in Antigua. 300lb women in a half ounce of clothing. A BBW "Paradise"! (if you're into that kind of thing).

Kojak

Thankfully most of the participants weren't that hefty, tho some of them were definitely FUPAs and needed an intervention.

But the Brazilian Carnival is something to behold. Laawwdamercy

RevWaldo

You make a big girl showing off her well-rounded tummy rolls sound like a bad thing. :-)

RevWaldo

West Indian American Day Carnival = Big Girl Paradise!

MEDICNYC

If you live in Brooklyn you know how bad this can get from Friday night until Tuesday morning. Stay away from it if you don't want to deal with it.

BklynsFinest

To all you whinny types, your feet and not planted in Crown Heights' soil, you don't like it there, then leave there. And once gone be gone. No one needs your generalized bs.

Petey

Where does the 2 dead/2 wounded fit into the culture?

rosweed

Rfive - You're right. The neighbors in Crown Heights are disrespectful of everyone every day. This parade just seems to give them a reason to be even more disrespectful. I hate parades anyway, but this one makes the wild west atmosphere in Crown Heights even worse.

MrManhattan - so the violence and guns and death is okay as long as it's not you and you can party all you want? "So far today, only two people have been shot dead". Pathetic attitude.

MrManhattan

Rosweed, I lived in the Caribbean for a few years and couldn't wait to get back to "clean, safe, quiet" NYC. This acceptance of violence as a part of "celebrating" was a big reason. I wasn't saying I thought it's acceptable, but in some cultures it is.

dgeee

I'm taking bets on how many murders occur on the parade route... I'm thinking 4.

dajewel

hello,

I am from the beautiful Caribbean nation of Belize!! I have say that the 'loud music'. feting(a Caribbean party), liming(an informal Caribbean get together where people just enjoy each other's company while drinking) and jouvert are essential aspects of the lifestyle. We are just really really proud people.

MrManhattan

I lived on a Caribbean island for a few years, and deJewel is right. It's part of the culture. So is violence. So far today, only two people have been shot dead, but as Curly in "City Slickers" famously said : "Day ain't over yet".

Rfive

thanks for the lesson jewel, but, when living in the city, in close proximity to others, turn down the music. its disrespectful of your neighbors.

merlinthefiend

The reason that my friends and I moved to Crown Heights was because of the culture, and being proud of it, jewel, is definitely an amazing thing. It's really refreshing to see a group of people who are so proud of their heritage, and also be able to celebrate it here in Brooklyn. Being an American, I wish I could do the same, but unfortunately, there isn't really much to be proud of.

I've been in the neighborhood all weekend and I think you should blast the music as loud as you want. Those who don't like it, New Jersey and Connecticut are real close by if you like the quiet. If you don't want to be in a loud neighborhood, don't live in a city. It's that simple.

the3rdbridge

You moved to Crown Heights for the culture?????!! Honestly, merlinthefiend, I think you should move BACK to New Jersey or Connecticut before you get hurt. As for you Jewel, welcome to America: Turn down your fucking music, we work here.

Rfive

The party started here Friday afternoon. Music from about 2 PM until about 4 AM Saturday. Big too big for the house speakers and some really bad calypso/reggae karaoke.

I don't know why I don't call the cops. It gets louder every year.

dogisdead

The celebration that occurs from 2-6AM is J'Ouvert, or day-break. It's more of a relaxed atmosphere, with people dressed in clothes that can be splattered with paint, mud and talcum powder, which is typical of the parade, in addition to the "steel drum only" traditional aspect.