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NYC’s West Indian Day Parade 2025: Where To Eat, Dance, And Celebrate Caribbean Culture

Explore the history, parade highlights, food spots, and weekend events that make Brooklyn’s Carnival an unmissable celebration of heritage.

By EatOkra

Last updated 29 Aug, 2025

Labor Day in Brooklyn, New York has its own soundtrack: It’s the pounding bass of soca, the rolling melodies of steel pan, and the rhythmic pulse of thousands of feet dancing down Eastern Parkway.

That (in a nutshell) is the West Indian American Day Parade—taking place on Monday, September 1, 2025 (Labor Day).

What It Is and How It All Started

The origins go back to Trinidad and Tobago, which was where Carnival marked freedom from slavery with vibrant street processions. In the 1930s, Caribbean immigrants brought over that same spirit to Harlem with indoor celebrations. And then by the 1960s, the action had shifted to Brooklyn, where the West Indian community was booming.

Eastern Parkway became the parade’s official stage…and it has only grown since. Today, millions of people come to witness the feathers, the sequins, the costumes, and the flag-waving pride.

But don’t mistake this for just a simple pretty party. This is a living expression of heritage, and a yearly reminder that Caribbean culture has helped to shape the very fabric of New York City itself.

What To Do While You’re There

The parade is the main event, but half the fun is getting swept up in everything around it.

Here’s what to expect:

Get your flag ready! Every island has its colors, and people wear them like capes, bandanas, and even fashion accessories. So don’t be surprised to see cars draped in flags like superhero costumes!

Dance with the bands! Masquerade bands bring the costumes, the glitter, and the energy. Even if you didn’t sign up to “play mas,” chances are still good that you’ll get pulled into the groove anyway.

Follow the trucks! These mobile sound systems are like moving block parties. Pick your vibe (soca, reggae, dancehall, kompa, calypso, etc.) and just walk along. It’s impossible not to!

Admire the artistry! Costumes are hand-built works of art, with feathers that are taller than the dancers themselves. These pieces are stitched, glued, and designed months in advance, and they definitely deserve all the gasps they get.

And of course, there’s the food. Which, let’s be honest, is almost its own parade!

Where and What To Eat

Eastern Parkway might be the runway, but Brooklyn’s side streets are the banquet table. This is where the Caribbean diaspora feeds the city…one plate at a time.

Here are few standouts:

BunNan (2123 Caton Ave)

They’ve reinvented plantains into everything from boats to nachos to waffles. It’s comfort food with a spin like no other.

Krispy Krunch Jamaican Flames (804 Nostrand Ave)

This place is perfect for fried chicken lovers who want it with Jamaican soul.

2 Girls & a Cookshop (383 Bridge St)

Think of this place as the Jamaican taco joint that nobody knew they needed until it existed.

(Plus, have you seen the Okra & Beats episode where they're featured?)

Bonbon Lakay (351 5th Ave)

Here you’ll find Haitian dishes that taste like a family kitchen, from griot to sweet plantains.

Jamit Bistro (367 Columbia St)

Caribbean-American fusion that delivers both island vibes and big flavors.

Lakou Café (195 Utica Ave)

This is a Haitian café that’s equal parts cozy and delicious, and it’s perfect for a breather during the parade madness.

Kokomo (65 Kent Ave)

Really trendy Caribbean dining with cocktails that match the energy of the dance floor.

Beets Café (142 Rockaway Ave)

The menu here is plant-based and Caribbean-inspired, which essentially proves that “healthy” can still come with plenty of spice.

Lees Jamaican American Buffet (1928 Fulton St)

This is a buffet for anyone who wants it all (from curry goat to fried plantains).

Rule of thumb: if there’s a long line, join it. The best eats often come with a wait!

Other Events During Carnival Weekend

The parade is the finale, but the weekend leading up to it is just as packed:

New York City Soul Food Festival

Think fried chicken, ribs, and mac and cheese done by people who know fully well that soul food is both a science and an exquisite art.

Caribbean Fish Fry

Here there’s crispy fried fish with a side of bass-thumping music and plenty of dancing.

Labor Day Saturday Night: Caribbean, Afrobeats, Trap, Open Bar

This is a late-night party that blends genres and serves up vibes until sunrise.

And then there’s J’ouvert, the predawn procession that mixes music, artistry, and liberation. Expect paint, powder, and sunrise rhythms that feel bigger than the city itself.

More From Our Community

Caribbean culture in Brooklyn is deeper than a single parade… and two recent features remind us why.

In Island Hopping: The Glory of Eating Through Brooklyn’s Little Caribbean, Shelley Worrell describes the neighborhood as a living archive. She recalls growing up with panyard limes and backyard fetes and the energy of playing J’ouvert until sunrise.

She also points out that Carnival isn’t just about costumes or music. It's about survival and visibility, especially in a city where gentrification threatens rehearsal spaces and community hubs.

Still, she notes, resilience wins out, and Caribbean contributions remain woven into American life, from art to food and everything in between!

Nneka Nurse’s Guide to Carnival Eats takes that same love of food and ties it directly to Carnival itself. Every plate (from bake and saltfish to curry goat) is like a piece of living heritage. Nurse reminds us that to eat during Carnival is to celebrate culture as much as to satisfy hunger.

Together, these perspectives say what everyone who’s been to Eastern Parkway already knows: the West Indian Day Parade is one day, but the culture it celebrates lives year-round in Brooklyn.

Featured image photo credit: Arne Vollstedt (via caribBEING)