PROSPECT HEIGHTS (WABC) — The streets of Brooklyn came alive before sunrise Monday as thousands of revelers gathered for J’Ouvert, the colorful pre-dawn celebration that kicks off the New York Carnival Parade festivities.<\/p>\n
Music echoed along Eastern Parkway as dancers, drummers and masqueraders filled the streets, embracing a tradition that celebrates Caribbean culture, heritage and community.<\/p>\n
For many attendees, the annual celebration is deeply personal.<\/p>\n
“It means I get to be part of the culture,” one participant said. “It means I get to uphold my family’s traditions, my lineage and enjoy myself.”<\/p>\n
WABC-TV Channel 7 is a proud sponsor of the 2026 New York Carnival Parade and you can watch it on Monday, Sept. 7, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET, on wherever you stream ABC 7 New York, including Disney+ as well as on YouTube, TikTok and Facebook.<\/p>\n
Others described J’Ouvert as a powerful way to honor their roots while gathering with family and friends.<\/p>\n
“I’m Haitian, my parents are Haitian. I love this festivity,” another reveler said. “I enjoy it every year. I feel like they are changing a lot, but I still celebrate my culture and I love it.”<\/p>\n
The celebration also drew visitors from across the Caribbean diaspora eager to showcase the traditions, fashion and music that make the event unique.<\/p>\n
“More reason to be out here,” one attendee said. “As we say in Trinidad, just have a fabulous time out here. We love fashion, we love style, we love music, rhythm and blues.”<\/p>\n
Organized by the West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA), the New York Carnival is considered the nation’s largest Caribbean cultural festival, attracting more than a million participants and spectators.<\/p>\n
WABC-TV Channel 7 is a proud sponsor of the 2026 New York Carnival Parade and you can watch it on Monday, Sept. 7, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET, on wherever you stream ABC 7 New York, including Disney+ as well as on YouTube, TikTok and Facebook.<\/p>\n
Crowds of marchers and spectators will descend on Eastern Parkway to celebrate the New York Carnival Parade, more commonly known as the West Indian Day Parade.<\/p>\n
New York’s weekend-long Caribbean Carnival dates to the 1920s, when historians believe it started in Harlem before moving to Brooklyn in the mid-1960s, where it continues to draw millions of people each year.<\/p>\n
———-<\/p>\n
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered<\/a> <\/p>\n * More New York City news<\/a><\/p>\n * Send us a news tip<\/a><\/p>\n * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts<\/a> <\/p>\n * Download our connected TV app<\/a> <\/p>\n
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News<\/p>\n