Feel the rhythm! Stunning Brooklyn scenes as thousands of New Yorkers turn out for the West Indian J’Ouvert parade
- J’Ouvert is a Caribbean tradition and carnival that signifies the freedom of slaves and is heavily celebrated by New York residents
- Participants from Caribbean descent prepared months for the event as some dressed up in cultural attire while styling the flag of their homeland
- The festivities officially resumed for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic
- Officers had about 13 security entry points lined up at the festival with metal detectors to remove any alcohol and weapons from participant’s possession
Thousands flooded the streets of Brooklyn for the city’s 55th annual West Indian J’Ouvert Parade on Monday in celebration of the cultural event for the first time since the pandemic.
J’Ouvert is a Caribbean carnival that signifies a tradition started by freed slaves after emancipation. Parade-goers dressed up in Caribbean garb while waving flags of their homeland.
This year’s theme, dubbed, ‘Rejuvenate Breaking the Chain and Embracing the Movement,’ featured the J’ouvert Festival on the streets of Brooklyn at 6am with thousands decked out in costumes while drums roared in the background in the early morning. Festivities are expected until 6pm ending with the West Indian Day Parade.
‘New York City is back and J’Ouvert celebrations are back better than ever,’ NY Mayor Adams said in a video celebrating the return of the event.
‘As we dance our way down the parade route, we do so in a renewed spirit of unity, resilience, and togetherness.’
Adams made an afternoon appearance along the parade route, drawing the attention of multiple participants.
The music filled celebration is fueled by Caribbean cultural sounds, including Rhythm and Masquerade Bands. Other genres of Reggae and Kompa also filled the celebrations.
Meanwhile, the New York Police Department were seen throughout the streets. Officer presence is set to remain high for the remainder of the day. Police broke up one fight along the parade route in the afternoon.
‘Officers are working out along the route to ensure a safe celebration for all,’ NYPD wrote on Twitter.
Parade-goers were lively ahead of the celebrations while dancing in the street. One officer was seen being danced on by a cheerful woman.
Thousands flooded the streets of Brooklyn for the city’s 55th annual West Indian J’Ouvert Parade on Monday
The parade featured an assortment of bright colors and costumes worn throughout the parade route. One woman is seen in a colorful ensemble with feathers on her back
Groups dressed up in attire that represents their homeland
One woman styled a bedazzled head piece complemented by a green and blue embroidered outfit
Parade participants showed off their attire that took months to prepare
Most of the outfits worn by parade participants featured wings with feathers
An assortment of different flowers complemented the looks
Bedazzled tops were worn to finish accessorize the look
A variety of different outfits were seen as some applied last minute final touches
Parade participants lined up along the parade route
A woman was seen dancing along with others for the parade
Parade participants drank water as they waited their turn on the route
One woman celebrated the fun with her baby
Several parade participants danced in the streets as New York Police Department took the streets to protect the crowd during the early morning of Labor Day
One parade-goer danced with a police officer nearby on Monday morning
Dancers showed off their looks while floats waited for their turn on the route
Participants were seen dancing during the parade
A small brawl broke out along the parade route. Police swiftly intervened to break up the two participants
NY Mayor Eric Adams joined in on the West Indian Day parade, which follows the Caribbean street carnival. Adams was seen along the parade route on Monday afternoon
Officers prepared for the festival on Sunday by barricading the streets
The crowds flocked to the Grand Army Plaza before dawn as multiple roads were set to be closed throughout Brooklyn for the festivities.
About 13 entry points were set up for participants to be screened for weapons and alcohol.
The early morning crowd appeared to be jolly ahead the full day. Flags representing the Caribbean were seen all around as participants entered the streets with pride of their homeland.
Some participants helped others get into the spirit of the day by tossing around buckets of paint and powder. As many energetically danced at sunrise, several parade-goers were seen getting paint splattered onto their bottoms while they bent over and danced.
Multiple parade participants walked through the street and danced on one another while covered in black paint and white foam, which resembled shaving cream.
Participants were seen climbing on top of parade floats waiting for the festivities to begin while others smiled in glee.
New Yorkers took the streets of Brooklyn on Monday for J’Ouvert celebrations near Brooklyn’s Prospect Park
Two parade goers covered their bodies in black paint while wearing chains around their necks
The streets were filed with participants as some waved flags before dawn on Monday
Hundreds of people lined up along Easter Parkway in Brooklyn waiting for the festival to begin
One participant is seen shirtless with a cross as the festivities begin
Some participants covered themselves in black paint
A woman was seen dancing while sporting fish net stalkings and a red outfit topped off with a head covering
Spectators observed the parade on the sidewalk
Multiple people dancing on and with one another. A few participants are seen dancing while the crowd admires from a distance
Parade-goers were ready to celebrate before dawn with some throwing powder and colored paint over women dancing
Participants danced in the streets while others watched
The crowds were being covered in powder and liquid
Hundreds of people flocked to the streets before sunrise
Some participants wrapped the flag of their homeland flags around their back as some were covered in paint
Many participants headed to the streets before sunrise
A man with a paint bucket was seen covered in lime green and white paint
Two women were seen sporting the flags of their homeland
Participants showed off their attire they have been planning for the festival. Cotton, lace, tulle, and colorful flowers are historical stable pieces in the Caribbean.
One group of women wore tulle dresses with white bows and head wraps. Their outfits were accessorized by what appeared to be multiple layers of a pearl necklace and colorful flowers attached to their dresses.
Others wore flags representing their home in the Caribbean while some carried chains around their necks.
Seamstresses prepared weeks for the event and spent time before the festival perfecting their attire.
Marilyn Gaymes, a seamstress from the Trinidad helped put together Afro-Brazilian inspired outfits for more than 100 people.
‘It’s my first J’ouvert here in New York,’ Gaymes told CBS News while explaining her group portrays a cleansing festival known as ‘Lavagem.
Meanwhile, Ebony Jewels wore her attire on Monday for the first time.
‘I’m just going to be one of the masqueraders,’ Jewels told CBS News. ‘My top is a crop top that matches this with lots of pearls, lots of while and a nice beautiful flower headpiece.’
Some seamstresses prepared a year for their costumes.
‘It takes some time to source the material and research,’ Kandell Julien told CBS News.
A group of women showed off their attire that included tulle dresses with white bows and head wraps. Their outfits were complemented by pearl-like necklaces and colorful flowers
A group of women smiled nearby two police officers
A participant in a gold colored wig, layers of necklaces and a backseat filled with colorful flowers smiled while heading toward the crowd
Another woman was seen in attire similar to a two piece bathing suit while wearing a headwrap
Many laughed and danced amid the festivites
Two people are seen dancing on a police baricade
One woman is seen slapping paint onto another woman’s back while she dances
Covered head to toe, another participants holds a bucket of white paint as others are covered with it
One woman was carried through the festivities while on top of a child’s car
Parade-goers were seen climbing on a float nearby a Wendy’s
While Monday marks the first J’Ouvert parade since the pandemic, COVID-19 didn’t stop parade-goers from gathering last year.
The Indian Delta variant forced the city to cancel the official festival for the second year in a row in 2021, but Brooklyn’s Caribbean community staged its own unofficial party.
Hundreds of Brooklynites joined in the fun last year while decked out in similar attire.
The streets of the Crown Heights and Flatbush neighborhoods filled up with people eating and drinking at barbecues and parties, carrying the flags of their countries, dousing one another with paint, and walking or dancing along with family and friends until daylight.
A contingent of NYPD officers were also present.
One woman was pictured bent over as two men place green paint on her behind
Another man wore a construction hat with a dump truck while covered in black paint. He held another object in his mouth
Many participants were decked out in black paint waiting for the event to begin
A group of women were splattered in paint ahead of the festivities
One man wore a viking hat while chains hung from around his neck. He held an old-fashioned phone that he talked through
Another participant brought a chair with him and sat in it while a crowd formed around him
A women in a wheelchair sat down as others prepared for the day ahead
A lizard was seen decked out in gold as spectators stopped to pet the reptile
Two people were seen dancing on the cement of the street while laughing
Many people dancing throughout the street as police observed nearby
The police department roamed around on a float as multiple officers played various instruments to a Caribbean song. Various instruments played included the guitar, tuba, drums and saxophone.
‘The NYPD Band is leading the way in today’s West Indian Day Parade,’ the department wrote in a Tweet.
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