September 2, 2025
written by CCMag
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — The West Indian American Day Parade, held annually on Labor Day, is one of the largest cultural celebrations in the United States. Drawing over a million spectators each year, the parade transforms Eastern Parkway into a vibrant sea of color, sound and movement. This year’s parade hosted on Monday, September 1, captured Caribbean people, music, dancing, food and more.
CC Mag friend and photograph Louis J Evans captured the essence of Brooklyn’s carnival in this digital diary. Rooted in Caribbean traditions, the event—which began in Brooklyn in 1969— showcases the music, dance and costumes of islands such as Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados, Grenada, Haiti and many more. Marchers wear elaborate, feathered costumes and dance to the rhythms of soca, reggae, dancehall, calypso, steel pan and chutney music, while food vendors line the streets offering jerk chicken, roti, doubles and other Caribbean delicacies.
[Additional Read: Yazmeen Kanji’s ‘One Day’ is the First Film Dedicated to the Muslim Indo Caribbean Woman’s Experience]
Beyond the spectacle, the parade is also a celebration of Caribbean heritage, pride, and resilience, uniting generations of immigrants and their descendants. It serves as both a joyful expression of culture and a platform for advocacy, highlighting the social, political and artistic contributions of Caribbean people in New York and beyond.
