Guide to Carnival

For those who are not familiar with Carnival in New York or for anyone who has not participated for some time, we have prepared this section to help you. This section is filled with tips on how to find out about events, what different foods there are to eat, and how to have an enjoyable J'Ouvert and Labor Day celebration.

Food

There will be plenty of food to taste on Carnival Day. 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.

Media

Radio stations, newspapers, and word of mouth are the best ways to find out what events will be taking place carnival weekend. In addition to this website, newspapers like the Daily News contain a section entitled Caribbeat, which features weekly events in the Caribbean-American community. Radio stations such as WWRL (1600am) can inform you of where different fetes and shows will take place. They also play the latest soca and reggae music, which is guaranteed to get you in the mood for Carnival.

J'Ouvert

J'Ouvert, or jour ouvert in French meaning daybreak, began in Trinidad in 1937. Today J'Ouvert is also celebrated in New York as a predawn festival on Carnival day. In keeping with tradition, steel drums are the only forms of music that will be played. Revelers in J'Ouvert wear costumes also, but unlike Carnival day, J'Ouvert costumes are inexpensive and are often creations that mock political issues, celebrities, and prominent events. The predawn celebration begins at 2am at Grand Army Plaza by the Library, travels through Flatbush to empire Blvd, and ends on Nostrand Avenue and Linden Blvd.

A Few Tips:

Do not dress up. J'Ouvert is an extremely casual event. Traditionally powder, paint and dye throwing are among the festivities, so it is wise to wear cloths you do not mind getting messy.
Dress warm. New York nights can get chilly around this time of year so it is a good idea to bring a jacket or sweatshirt.
Wear comfortable shoes. The route for J'Ouvert is long and after it is over people return home on foot. If you plan to go to the parkway in the morning, the last thing you want is sore feet.
Bring a whistle. Many steel bands have an 'engine room' with percussion instruments made form everyday items that can maintain the rhythm for tunes played by the steel drummers. It is the practice for revelers to complement this rhythm section with whistles or bottle and spoon.

Labor Day Carnival Day!

The West Indian American Day Carnival is the biggest parade in New York with over 3 million participants each year. The parade depicts elaborately designed costumes, illustrating beauty and pageantry. There are many masqueraders and huge sound trucks, some with live performers. The service roads have stands of vendors lined up selling foods, crafts, books, clothing, art, jewelry, and much more. The parade begins at 11am and ends at 6pm. There will be live performers in front of the viewing stage at the Brooklyn Library. The parade rout begins at the corner of Rochester & Eastern Parkway and ends near Grand Army Plaza where non-masqueraders can jump up with the bands.

A Few Tips:

Come out early. The parade gets bigger each year with over 2 million participants on the Parkway. Police crowd barriers make it difficult to walk around, so you should find a good spot early where you can see clearly. You should be very patient; the thickness of the crowd makes things move slowly.

Dress comfortably. Wear shoes that you can walk long distances in. people will be stepping on your toes so open toe sandals are not recommended.
Drink plenty of water. The sun will be on your head for hours, coupled with the crowds; it is easy to get dehydrated. Some people have been known to faint from being overwhelmed with heat so it is important to stay cool.
Bring your flag! Represent your country with your national flag or rag. Don?t be the one left out!
Get plenty of rest. For those who are going to J?Ouvert the night before, playing mas, or both, it is imperative to get enough rest before going on the Parkway. People have suffered from exhaustion and dehydration in the past.
HAVE FUN! Carnival time is a time for celebration. There is no room for sour faces. Come out and enjoy yourselves.