The Labor Day Parade (also known as the West Indian Day Parade and Caribbean American Parade) is the most colorful event in NYC. Every year, between 1 and 3 million people are expected to celebrate Caribbean culture.

At the same time, the West Indian Day Parade has a long history: in fact, in 20241 it will be held for the 54th time. Get ready for a lot of happy and colorfully decorated people – a good mood is guaranteed!

Where is the Labor Day Parade in NYC?

The Labor Day Parade in 2024 is set for September 2nd at 11:00 am in Brooklyn. This parade starts on the Easter Parkway and Schenectady and heads to Flatbush (finish: Grand Army Plaza). There isn’t an official ending time because this tends to last most of the day. You can expect a lot of dancing, live music, and performances celebrating Caribbean culture, arts, history, and tradition.

What time does the Labor Day Parade NYC start?

The West Indian American Day Festival starts at 11:00 am on September 5th.

The History of Labor Day Carnival

Originally, the Labor Day Parade was held in Harlem in the 1930s because it had the largest Caribbean community. The first official parade dates back to September 1, 1947 and was held annually until 1964. At that time, it no longer received a permit and later moved to Crown Heights.

Labor Day in NYC

If you want to know the best things to do in NYC on Labor Day – we got you covered!