BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 18: The 69th annual West Indian Day Parade took place along Eastern Parkway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday Sept. 7, 2015. Photo by Raymond Hagans/Steed Media
This Labor Day, the annual West Indian American Day Parade adorned the Brooklyn streets with colorful costumes, dancing, signature Caribbean dishes, island music, and good spirits.
The parade — which began in the 1930s in Harlem and was relocated to Brooklyn in the 1960s — allows attendees to experience some of the best parts of Caribbean culture, whether it be salt fish, reggae, or beautiful women dressed as if they were at a carnival in Barbados or Trinidad.
The costumes were certainly the main attraction. Some women wore enormous feathers, facial art, and decorative material that covered their bodies. Others wore creative outfits that resembled animals.
Although a great time is had by those who take part in the festivities, there are many who choose not to attend for fear of violence breaking out. Several shootings and stabbings have occurred near the parade in the past few years, and a man was shot near the celebration Monday.
While walking from a West Indian American Day pre-parade party, Carey Gabay, an aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was struck in the head in a crossfire between two gangs, Yahoo! News reported. He is currently in a coma at Kings County Hospital.
But Mayor Bill de Blasio says that the parade is getting safer each year.
“The NYPD has made this parade safer year after year. That is the fact,” he said. “As you see, crime is going down in the city because of the efforts of the NYPD.”
View pictures from the festivities below.
BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 18: The 69th annual West Indian Day Parade took place along Eastern Parkway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday Sept. 7, 2015. Photo by Raymond Hagans/Steed Media
BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 18: The 69th annual West Indian Day Parade took place along Eastern Parkway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday Sept. 7, 2015. Photo by Raymond Hagans/Steed Media
BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 18: The 69th annual West Indian Day Parade took place along Eastern Parkway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday Sept. 7, 2015. Photo by Raymond Hagans/Steed Media
BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 18: The 69th annual West Indian Day Parade took place along Eastern Parkway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday Sept. 7, 2015. Photo by Raymond Hagans/Steed Media
BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 18: The 69th annual West Indian Day Parade took place along Eastern Parkway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday Sept. 7, 2015. Photo by Raymond Hagans/Steed Media
BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 18: The 69th annual West Indian Day Parade took place along Eastern Parkway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday Sept. 7, 2015. Photo by Raymond Hagans/Steed Media
BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 18: The 69th annual West Indian Day Parade took place along Eastern Parkway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday Sept. 7, 2015. Photo by Raymond Hagans/Steed Media
BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 18: The 69th annual West Indian Day Parade took place along Eastern Parkway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday Sept. 7, 2015. Photo by Raymond Hagans/Steed Media
BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 18: The 69th annual West Indian Day Parade took place along Eastern Parkway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday Sept. 7, 2015. Photo by Raymond Hagans/Steed Media
BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 18: The 69th annual West Indian Day Parade took place along Eastern Parkway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday Sept. 7, 2015. Photo by Raymond Hagans/Steed Media
BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 18: The 69th annual West Indian Day Parade took place along Eastern Parkway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday Sept. 7, 2015. Photo by Raymond Hagans/Steed Media
BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 18: The 69th annual West Indian Day Parade took place along Eastern Parkway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday Sept. 7, 2015. Photo by Raymond Hagans/Steed Media
BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 18: The 69th annual West Indian Day Parade took place along Eastern Parkway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday Sept. 7, 2015. Photo by Raymond Hagans/Steed Media
BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 18: The 69th annual West Indian Day Parade took place along Eastern Parkway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday Sept. 7, 2015. Photo by Raymond Hagans/Steed Media
BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 18: The 69th annual West Indian Day Parade took place along Eastern Parkway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday Sept. 7, 2015. Photo by Raymond Hagans/Steed Media
BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 18: The 69th annual West Indian Day Parade took place along Eastern Parkway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday Sept. 7, 2015. Photo by Raymond Hagans/Steed Media
BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 18: The 69th annual West Indian Day Parade took place along Eastern Parkway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday Sept. 7, 2015. Photo by Raymond Hagans/Steed Media
BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 18: The 69th annual West Indian Day Parade took place along Eastern Parkway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday Sept. 7, 2015. Photo by Raymond Hagans/Steed Media
BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 18: The 69th annual West Indian Day Parade took place along Eastern Parkway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday Sept. 7, 2015. Photo by Raymond Hagans/Steed Media
BROOKLYN, NY – JULY 18: The 69th annual West Indian Day Parade took place along Eastern Parkway in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday Sept. 7, 2015. Photo by Raymond Hagans/Steed Media
00votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Join our Newsletter
Sign up for Rolling Out news straight to your inbox.
This website or its third-party tools process personal data.In case of sale of your personal information, you may opt out by using the link Do not sell my personal information.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.