PROSPECT HEIGHTS, Brooklyn (WABC) — Thousands of revelers, elected officials and Caribbean cultural groups filled Eastern Parkway on Monday for the 59th annual New York Carnival Parade in Brooklyn under heightened security and a revised schedule aimed at preventing violence.
The annual celebration drew a large crowd, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Zohran Mamdani Rev. Al Sharpton and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, as spectators packed the parade route for one of the city’s biggest showcases of Caribbean culture.
Generations of families gathered along Eastern Parkway to watch colorful costumes, dancers and musicians march through Brooklyn while vendors served Caribbean food.
Many flags along the Eastern Parkway were draped with pride of their native Caribbean islands
“It’s really nice out here. You really get to express yourself and where you came from and you really get to have fun with your friends,” said paradegoer Deasia Cherry, who is from Plainfield, New Jersey.
The parade is a longstanding Labor Day tradition. This year’s event features extensive security measures, with 13 designated entry points where spectators are screened by NYPD personnel before entering the parade route. A heavy police presence remains visible throughout the area as officials work to ensure the celebration proceeds safely.
One major change this year is the earlier end time. Organizers plan to wrap up festivities at 5:30 p.m., a move officials say is intended to curb violence that has marred past parade celebrations.
For many attendees, the annual celebration is deeply personal.
“It means I get to be part of the culture,” one participant said. “It means I get to uphold my family’s traditions, my lineage and enjoy myself.”
WABC-TV Channel 7 is a proud sponsor of the 2026 New York Carnival Parade and streamed the festivities live at ABC 7 New York, including Disney+ as well as on YouTube, TikTok and Facebook.
Others described Monday morning’s J’Ouvert celebration as a powerful way to honor their roots while gathering with family and friends.
“I’m Haitian, my parents are Haitian. I love this festivity,” another reveler said. “I enjoy it every year. I feel like they are changing a lot, but I still celebrate my culture and I love it.”
Organized by the West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA), the New York Carnival is considered the nation’s largest Caribbean cultural festival, attracting more than a million participants and spectators.
New York’s weekend-long Caribbean Carnival dates to the 1920s, when historians believe it started in Harlem before moving to Brooklyn in the mid-1960s, where it continues to draw millions of people each year.
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