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The 58th edition of the West Indian American Day Parade came alive along Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights, drawing over a million spectators in a colorful display of Caribbean pride. Under the theme “Vive Le Carnivale,” the festivities exploded with feathers, sequins, steelpan rhythms, soca, reggae, and national flags symbolizing islands across the Caribbean and mainland regions.
Kicking off with pre-dawn J’ouvert – a tradition steeped in emancipation and freedom—revelers smeared paint and powder, dancing to steelpan music that set an electrifying tone. This was followed by the grand parade, featuring spectacular floats, masquerade bands (“mas bands”), and energetic costumed dancers accompanied by booming Caribbean music.
Familiar faces who joined the celebration included Mayor Eric Adams, Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayorial Candidate Sohan Mamdani and VP of Emblem George Hulse.
The carnival began as indoor masquerade parties hosted by Trinidadian immigrant Jessie Waddell in Harlem. The first street parade took place on September 1, 1947, organized by the Trinidad Carnival Pageant Committee.
As Caribbean immigrant populations grew in Brooklyn, Carlos Lezama and a committee (later WIADCA) secured a permit to relocate the parade to Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights. The procession expanded rapidly, incorporating steelband music, mas bands, and food vendors.
Today, the parade is among North America’s largest Caribbean cultural festivals, drawing between 1 to 3 million attendees annually. It’s a major economic boost for Brooklyn and NYC, generating hundreds of millions in revenue each year.
