The West Indian American Day Carnival is the biggest parade, street fair or festival in New York City: simply the biggest cultural event of the year. Hundreds of floats and sound trucks, tens of carnival crews in rainbow-hued, peacock-feathered costumes and stands filled with goods and food make this celebration of an ethnic community's life in New York the high-point of the festival year. There are four days of events and activities leading up to the big parade, Most of them include Calypso and steel bands and other unconventional high-points. Some people think the best place to view the parade is between the Brooklyn Museum and Grand Army Plaza. True, this area gives some great views, but you miss half the fun. The best vantage point is at the Franklin Avenue Subway stop. After getting to the stop, walk East along Eastern Parkway for a few blocks and cross over to the North side of the Parkway, then walk back West toward Grand Army Plaza
Have Patience. The going is slow, very slow. It's estimated that 2 million people visit the carnival sometime during the day. Occasionally the police crowd control barriers don't facilitate traffic and long lines of people are forced through small openings. When you get a bit frustrated grab a cold beverage and step back out of the way for a few moments to catch your breath
There's plenty of food and drink.. Stands line the North and South service roads of the Parkway. See the sights and sniff the smells: jerk chicken, fried chicken and chicken stew; jerk pork, pork stew; BBQ beef, beef stew, oxtail stew; collard greens and salads; rice and beans, red beans and rice, rice and peas, chick peas and rice, black beans and rice; curried goat and roti; conch fritters, fried flying fish, codfish cakes, salt fish, baked fish; johnnycakes, callaloo and souse; baked macaroni, macaroni and cheese, macaroni pie and macaroni salad; cakes, pies and coconut bread. There's no alcohol at New York City parades anymore, but you can still refresh yourself with a ginger beer, mauby, sorrel drink, or one of many fruit juice.
West Indian and other island food vendors appear to be among the most sanitary conscious in the City. Trays of food are always covered and that makes it awkward for those a bit unsure of trying something for the first time. Don't be shy! Ask, point, talk. This is New York City. For decades the people of the melting pot have said: Try some of our food so you can get to know us a little better
The stands are decorated with flags and banners of all West Indian countries. Vendors sell t-shirts with logo's such as "GT massive," Trini Girls Are Best," "Grenada All are numero uno." There are some of the conventional booths also such as Hot Dog Stands, For the most part, the vendors use the booths to reflect the distinctive style, taste, and traditions of West Indian culture.
All the people are all out for a great time and there are not many of the disturbances that have been associated with other parades in the past few years. Most folk seem to go out of their way to avoid problems -- everyone knows that it's hot and sticky and crowded and noisy -- and they make the best of it.