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CBS New York
West Indian Day Parade: Brooklyn route map & street closures
By Naveen DhaliwalElijah WestbrookHannah KligerRenee Anderson,
1 day ago
West Indian American Carnival kicks off Brooklyn's biggest party 01:43
NEW YORK -- New York City's annual West Indian American Day Carnival and Parade is taking over the streets of Brooklyn this Labor Day.
We have everything you need to know about the route map and street closures, as well as the start time and the meaning behind what's considered the biggest party in Brooklyn.
Map shows West Indian Day Parade route 2024
This map shows the route for the West Indian American Day Parade on Sept. 2, 2024 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. CBS New York
The parade marches along Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights. It starts at Utica Avenue near Lincoln Terrace Park, then heads west to Grand Army Plaza near the Brooklyn Museum and Prospect Park.
The route stretches about two miles along the parkway and typically attracts more than a million spectators.
The NYPD says police will have a strong presence , with 13 security checkpoints and drones above. They're also coordinating with local faith leaders and crisis management groups to keep things safe.
West Indian Day Parade street closures in Brooklyn
From the 2023 West Indian American Day Parade and Carnival in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. LEONARDO MUNOZ/AFP via Getty Images
The following streets will be closed Sunday and Monday for the festivities.
Grand Army Plaza (Entire Circle)
Buffalo Avenue between Eastern Parkway and East New York Avenue
Rochester Avenue between East New York Avenue and Sterling Place
Ralph Avenue between Eastern Parkway and East New York Avenue
East New York Avenue between Howard Avenue and Utica Avenue
Eastern Parkway between Howard Avenue and Grand Army Plaza
Washington Avenue between Sterling Place and Lincoln Road
Flatbush Avenue between Grand Army Plaza and Caton Avenue
Ocean Avenue between Empire Boulevard and Parkside Avenue
Butler Place between Grand Army Plaza and Sterling Place
St. Johns Place between Underhill Avenue and Grand Army Plaza
Rockaway Parkway between East New York Avenue and Rutland Road
Parkside Avenue between Park Circle and Flatbush Avenue
Bedford Avenue between Eastern Parkway and Empire Boulevard
Empire Boulevard between Flatbush Avenue and Nostrand Avenue
Nostrand Avenue between Empire Boulevard and Linden Boulevard
Lincoln Place between Eastern Parkway and East New York Avenue
What time does NYC West Indian Day Parade start?
From the 2023 West Indian American Day Parade and Carnival in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. LEONARDO MUNOZ/AFP via Getty Images
The parade started at 10 a.m. on Sept. 2, following the pre-dawn celebration known as J'Ouvert. It's held each year on Labor Day, the first Monday in September.
Its name comes from the French words, "jour ouvert," meaning daybreak or morning.
J'Ouvert signals the start of Carnival, a festival celebrating the vast Caribbean diaspora with street band music, dancing and more.
Celebration of West Indian countries and culture
From the 2023 West Indian American Day Parade and Carnival in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Sebastian Kahnert/picture alliance via Getty Images
This Brooklyn tradition dates back more than 50 years. It aims to foster a sense of unity and joy among attendees.
The West Indies are made up of three parts: the Greater Antilles, including Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico; the Lesser Antilles, including the Virgin Islands, Saint Lucia, Barbados and Grenada, among others; and the grouping of islands that includes the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Trinidad and Tobago and Aruba.
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