Brooklyn, New York · September 6, 2027
West Indian American Day Parade
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West Indian American Day Parade
When is West Indian American Day Parade 2027?
West Indian American Day Parade 2027 runs on Monday, September 6, 2027.
2027Monday, September 6, 2027Confirmed
How the dates are set: The parade is held on Labor Day, the first Monday of September.
See every event in September 2027
Source: nationaltoday.com
West Indian American Day Parade schedule
- Pre-dawn on Labor Day: J'Ouvert, the pre-dawn celebration, opens the day. The name comes from the French jour ouvert, meaning daybreak.
- Labor Day: The parade fills Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights with mas bands, steelpan orchestras and soca trucks. It has historically run from Eastern Parkway and Utica Avenue to Grand Army Plaza.
- Carnival week: The week includes the Panorama steel pan competition, Dimanche Gras, and Children's Carnival, where young masqueraders parade from St. John's Place to the Brooklyn Museum.
Source: newyorklatinculture.com
Tickets and cost
Free to watch. Bring cash for the food and drink vendors along the route.
Source: newyorklatinculture.com
History of West Indian American Day Parade
The roots go back to the 1930s, when Jessie Wardell and Caribbean friends staged indoor carnival costume parties in Harlem. Trinidadian immigrant Rufus Goring brought the tradition to Brooklyn, and in 1967 a committee organized by Carlos Lezama secured a permit for a parade on Eastern Parkway, where it has been held since.
Source: newyorklatinculture.com
West Indian American Day Parade: questions people ask
When is the West Indian Day Parade in 2027?
It is on Monday, September 6, 2027, which is Labor Day.
Where is the West Indian Day Parade held?
On Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. It has historically run from Eastern Parkway and Utica Avenue to Grand Army Plaza.
How many people attend the West Indian Day Parade?
Estimates range from one to three million people.
Why is the West Indian Day Parade on Labor Day?
It is held over Labor Day weekend at the beginning of September, close to Trinidad and Tobago Independence Day on August 31, 1962.
What does J'Ouvert mean?
J'Ouvert comes from the French jour ouvert, meaning daybreak or morning, and it signals the start of Carnival.
Is the West Indian Day Parade free?
Yes, it is free to watch.
Sources: nationaltoday.com, newyorklatinculture.com, en.wikipedia.org, nyc.gov
About West Indian American Day Parade
Labor Day carnival on Brooklyn's Eastern Parkway, the largest Caribbean celebration in North America, with J'Ouvert at dawn.
The West Indian Day Parade fills Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights every Labor Day with mas bands, steelpan and soca trucks. J'Ouvert, the pre-dawn celebration, starts the day, and a week of carnival events leads up to it, including the Panorama steel pan competition. The parade is free and draws an estimated one to three million people, so expect crowds.
Know before you go
- The parade is free. Bring cash for the jerk, curry goat and punch vendors along the route.
- J'Ouvert starts in the early morning, so the biggest day begins well before the parade.
- Fly into New York JFK, LaGuardia (LGA) or Newark (EWR) and take transit or a car service to Crown Heights.
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