This week’s “Trip of the Week(ender)” is The New York Caribbean Carnival (also known as the West Indian American Labor Day Parade) in Brooklyn, NY on Monday, September 4, 2017. The march starts at 11am. It’s a massive celebration and expression of Caribbean cultural pride. The parade that attracts a million audience members every year so if you hate crowds, this is not the parade for you! This parade is one of NYC’s most colorful, with participants representing various Caribbean nations, traditional cultural, delicious food and lots of performances including steel band music, calypso and soca music.
- Bring a big appetite and a little pocket money. Not all vendors take debit/credit cards.
- Wear comfortable shoes, there is a lot of walking in the city!
- Take friends, it’s safer and more fun with a few people.
- Get a MetroCard at New York Penn Station for your round trip subway fares.
- Make note of the last trains back to South Orange: Morris / Essex line.
New York City is pretty easy to get to with public transportation, but it is a holiday weekend so be sure to check all the holiday schedules. Take the NJ Transit train at the South Orange train station to New York Penn Station just five stops away. From inside Penn Station you can access the subway system. Catch the 4 or 5 trains to Eastern Parkway. The parade happens along Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights, with the route stretching from Schenectady Avenue to Grand Army Plaza, then down Flatbush Avenue
- Information about the West Indian American Labor Day Parade
- NYC Subway info specifically for the parade
- History of Labor Day
- NYC Subway Info and Map
- CityMapper
Enjoy the festivities!
West Indian Day Parade
