Labor Day Carnival

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A parade-goer waves a Bajan flag

The Labor Day Carnival, or West Indian Carnival, is an annual celebration held in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Its main event is the West Indian-American Day Parade, which attracts up to two million spectators who watch the parade on its route along Eastern Parkway.

[edit] History

Woman in full costume

Ms. Jessie Waddle and some of her West Indian friends started the Carnival in Harlem in the 1920s by staging costume parties in large enclosed places - like the Savoy, Renaissance and Audubon Ballrooms due to the cold wintry weather of February. This is the usual time for the pre-Lenten celebrations held in most countries around the world. However, because of the very nature of Carnival and the need to parade in costume to music - in door confinement did not work.

The earliest known Carnival street activity was held during the 1940s when Ms. Waddle, secured the first street permit for a parade type event on the streets of Harlem. During the 1960s, another Trinidadian - Rufus Goring, brought Carnival to Brooklyn. In 1967, Goring passed the reigns over to Carlos Lezama, who later became president of WIADCA and who nurtured the organization and carnival celebrations till 2001, when, due to his ill-health he retired and his daughter, Yolanda Lezama-Clark was elected president. Both lived in Trinidad During their formative years.

"Labor Day Carnival Parade" has grown over the years from thousands of participants and tourists to over 3.5 million people in attendance since the mid - 1990s according to then Mayor Rudy Giuliani. The influx of tourists from all over the world has benefited New York City on an economic level, most recognizably with large corporations, small businesses and the tourist/service industry.

With this event annually bringing in some of the largest numbers of people to the city, many New York politicians can be observed at the parade.

See also