NYC's West Indian Day Parade: Route Map, Street Closures & Everything You Need to Know

NYC's West Indian Day Parade Takes Over Brooklyn This Labor Day

Get ready for a vibrant celebration of Caribbean culture as New York City's annual West Indian American Day Carnival and Parade takes over the streets of Brooklyn this Labor Day weekend.

Parade Route & Street Closures

The parade marches along Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights, starting at Utica Avenue near Lincoln Terrace Park and heading west to Grand Army Plaza near the Brooklyn Museum and Prospect Park. The route stretches about two miles and is expected to attract over a million spectators.

Street closures will be in effect on Sunday and Monday for the festivities, including:

• Grand Army Plaza (Entire Circle)
• Buffalo Avenue between Eastern Parkway and East New York Avenue
• Rochester Avenue between East New York Avenue and Sterling Place
• Ralph Avenue between Eastern Parkway and East New York Avenue
• East New York Avenue between Howard Avenue and Utica Avenue
• Eastern Parkway between Howard Avenue and Grand Army Plaza
• Washington Avenue between Sterling Place and Lincoln Road
• Flatbush Avenue between Grand Army Plaza and Caton Avenue
• Ocean Avenue between Empire Boulevard and Parkside Avenue
• Butler Place between Grand Army Plaza and Sterling Place
• St. Johns Place between Underhill Avenue and Grand Army Plaza
• Rockaway Parkway between East New York Avenue and Rutland Road
• Parkside Avenue between Park Circle and Flatbush Avenue
• Bedford Avenue between Eastern Parkway and Empire Boulevard
• Empire Boulevard between Flatbush Avenue and Nostrand Avenue
• Nostrand Avenue between Empire Boulevard and Linden Boulevard
• Lincoln Place between Eastern Parkway and East New York Avenue

Parade Start Time & J'Ouvert Celebration

The parade kicks off at 10 a.m. on September 2nd, following the pre-dawn celebration known as J'Ouvert, which starts around 6 a.m. J'Ouvert, meaning "daybreak" in French, signals the start of Carnival, a joyous festival celebrating the Caribbean diaspora with music, dancing, and more.

West Indian Culture & Heritage

The parade is a vibrant display of Caribbean pride, showcasing the diverse cultures of the West Indies, which include the Greater Antilles, Lesser Antilles, and a grouping of islands like the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Trinidad and Tobago, and Aruba.

A Weekend of Festivities

The weekend-long celebration kicks off with a Junior Carnival for kids on Saturday morning, followed by the annual Panorama steelpan festival, the largest steelpan competition in North America.

Be sure to check out the colorful costumes, flavorful foods, and sounds of calypso and steelpan bands! The parade is expected to last several hours, ending around 6 p.m.