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J'ouvert & NYC West Indian American Day Parade 2024 in Brooklyn today. See the route map, street closures & more.

West Indian American Carnival kicks off Brooklyn's biggest party
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

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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

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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?

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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.

Last year's event drew a large crowd of spectators taking in the colorful costumes, flavorful foods and sounds of calypso and steelpan bands

This year's parade is expected to last several hours, ending around 6 p.m.

What is the meaning of J'Ouvert?

Annual J'Ouvert Celebration Kicks Off In Brooklyn
From the 2023 J'Ouvert celebration in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Stephanie Keith/Getty Images

J'Ouvert is the early morning celebration that's held each year before the parade. It started before dawn, around 6 a.m., but some started celebrating Sunday night

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

New York City
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. 

Caribbean pride has been on display all weekend long, kicking off with a Junior Carnival for kids on Saturday morning, followed by the annual Panorama steelpan festival, the largest steelpan competition in North America.

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