West Indian American Day Parade steps off with steel bands, colorful costumes, stilt walkers
The annual West Indian American Day Parade stepped off in New York City on Monday with brightly colored costumes, steel bands, flag waving and street dancing.
The Brooklyn parade is the culmination of carnival week and one of the world’s largest celebrations of Caribbean culture. The parade routinely attracts more than 1 million people for what has become one the city’s most spirited annual events.
A separate street party known as J’Ouvert, commemorating freedom from slavery, began in the early morning hours.
Brooklyn Boro
View MoreNew York City’s most populous borough, Brooklyn, is home to nearly 2.6 million residents. If Brooklyn were an independent city it would be the fourth largest city in the United States. While Brooklyn has become the epitome of ‘cool and hip’ in recent years, for those that were born here, raised families here and improved communities over the years, Brooklyn has never been ‘uncool’.