Hundreds of floats and sound trucks, tens of carnival crews in rainbow-hued, peacock-feather-enhanced costumes and hundreds of food and goods stands, make this celebration of the West Indian community's life in New York the highpoint of the festival year. And it's not just on Labor Day; there are four days of events and activities leading up to the big parade, most of them including calypso and steel bands, in one form or another.

Carnival in New York was brought to Harlem in the 1920’s, by native Trinidadian Ms. Jessie Waddle and some of her West Indian Friends.  They staged costume parties in large ballrooms like the Savoy, Renaissance and Audubon, due to the cold weather in February, which is the usual time for pre-Lenten celebrations, in most countries around the world.  But because of the nature of Carnival, to parade in costume within music indoor venues, didn’t work.

The first outdoor Carnival was held in the 1940’s, when Ms. Waddle got the first permit ever issued for a parade in Harlem.  In the 1960’s, another Trinidadian, Rufus Goring, brought Carnival to Brooklyn, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Watching and trying to film this event is quite a challenge.  It’s hard to keep still when the music makes you want to jump up, and there’s so much going on all around you!  The excitement is electrifying and quite contagious!  The crowds of people behind the barricades are just as fun to watch, as are the people within.  You can spot many people still covered in body paint and caked on talcum powder from J’Ouvert (or Juvee), which is the early morning opening party, before the parade begins.  When the big trucks come by, many people jump in and march, or jump up and wine right along with them!  Okay, okay…the police frown on this jumping in business, but it really is amusing to see them try to control the crowd.  They were pretty good natured about trying to keep the human tidal waves at bay!  LOL!

This year’s parade theme was “One Caribbean, Many Cultures,” and that my friends, says it all!

Until next year, One Love!

P.S.  Oh yeah…I finally did get to eat, and it was absolutely delicious!

Olga Ayala is a polymer clay artisan specializing in original, fully functional home decor items and wearable art (jewelry); she provides art courses for beginners as an introduction to Polymer Clay, and her art pieces are displayed around the world; she is a columnist and a cultural partner of Blacktino.net.  For more info: olgaayala.zoomshare.com 

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