The nation’s largest one-day street party is set to kick off
on Labor Day as an anticipated crowd of more than 3 million people
jam Eastern Parkway for the 34th Annual West Indian American
Day Carnival and Parade.
Gov. George Pataki, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and senators Hilary
Clinton and Charles Schumer are scheduled to march in parts of
the parade, which will no doubt be rife with candidates for public
office as well.
A number of events, sponsored by the West Indian American Day
Carnival Association (WIADCA) will be held leading up to the
Sept. 3 parade, including concerts, costume contests, a children’s
parade and a steel drum contest called Panorama. However, due
to a dispute over prize money, a number of steel drum bands,
also known as "pan" bands, split from WIADCA and are
holding a separate event, also called Panorama, organized by
the United States Steelband Association (USSA).
The WIADCA Panorama will take place Saturday, Sept. 1, at 8 pm,
in the parking lot of the Brooklyn Museum of Art. (Gates open
at 7 pm.) WIADCA spokesperson Jean Alexander said that there
were eight bands signed and admitted that the 34-year-old contest
faced new competition from USSA.
"I understand that they have more bands than we do,"
Alexander said. "Of course there will be a reduction in
[WIADCA] crowds, there will be a reduction in bands, there will
be a reduction in pan supporters, but it’s not going to change
that much."
The USSA competition will take place on the same day at the Thomas
Jefferson High School athletic field at Flatlands and Shepherd
avenues in East New York. (The gates open at 6 pm, and the competition
starts at 8 pm.)
"There is only one Panorama, and that’s our Panorama,"
said Brian Figeroux, publisher of the bi-monthly Immigrant’s
Journal newspaper, which is sponsoring the USSA competition.
"All the steel bands that used to perform at the Brooklyn
Museum are with the USSA."
Thirteen bands will perform at the USSA Panorama including, in
order of appearance, Invasion Ambassadors, Dem Stars, Despers
USA, Harlem All Stars, Pan Tonic, Sesame Flyers Steel Orchestra,
Caribbean Youth Panoramics, New York Nutones and Tasso USA, according
to Figeroux.
All the pre-parade events sponsored by WIADCA take place at the
Brooklyn Museum of Art, beginning Thursday, Aug. 30 with the
"Mas Mas and More Mas" masquerade competition.
On Friday, Aug. 31, WIADCA hosts a "Stay in School/Stay
Off Drugs" concert from 1 pm to 4 pm. A "Brass Festival"
featuring soca and calypso bands from the Caribbean will start
at 8 pm. The bands scheduled to perform are X-Tatik, Square One
& Alison Hinds, Charlie Roots & David Rudder, Bunji Garlin
and Blue Ventura with Sanell Dempster and Ronnie McIntosh.
In addition to the steel band competitions, there will be a Children’s
Carnival Parade on Saturday, Sept. 1. The parade begins at 10
am from St. John’s Place and Kingston Avenue, proceeds to St.
Marks Place, makes a left onto Franklin Avenue, proceeds left
(south) to President Street and ends at the Brooklyn Museum of
Art where the children will perform on stage until late afternoon.
On Sunday, Sept. 2 at 8 pm, WIADCA will present The Dimanche
Gras Show.
"That name comes from the Trinidad carnival," said
Alexander. "It is a night when we bring together all the
calypso kings and queens. The winners of all the costume competitions
and the winners of the panorama all come back for a grand finale."
A number of bands from the Caribbean are also scheduled to perform,
including Shadow, Explainer, Pink Panther, Mighty Sparrow, Sugar
Aloes, Red Plastic Bag, Ronnie McIntosh, David Rudder & Charlie
Roots and pianist Earl Brooks. The host for the evening is MC
Wassy.
An event not sponsored by WIADCA, but nevertheless a 17-year
tradition, the J’ouvert (French for "day opens"), begins
at around 2 am on Labor Day. Thousands of revelers, who can’t
wait for the real parade to start, take to the streets around
Grand Army Plaza in wild costumes.
Steel bands compete with a ballad or piece of classical music
at Empire Boulevard and Washington Avenue; J’ouvert mas (costume)
bands compete at Empire Boulevard and Rogers Avenue; and steel
bands engage in a calypso competition at Nostrand Avenue and
Rutland Road. J’ouvert carries on until about 8 am.
The Labor Day parade steps off at 11 am on Sept. 3, from the
corner of Utica Avenue and Eastern Parkway and continues on Eastern
Parkway to Grand Army Plaza. A reviewing stand in front of the
Brooklyn Museum will offer free live entertainment from 10 am
to 4 pm. The grand marshals for the parade, which will include
60 colorful floats, will be Antonia Yuille-Willams of Con Edison,
Charles Ancrum of Heineken, Pierre Sutton of Inner City Broadcasting,
and Trinidadian costume designer Peter Minshall.
Asked whether she expected the numerous candidates for city offices
to attend the parade, Alexander said she didn’t know, but they
were welcome, adding: "I hope they put on their dancing
shoes and loosen up a little."
Carnival events
The West Indian Labor Day Carnival and Parade events take place
from Aug. 30 to Sept. 3.
The WIADCA pre-Labor Day Carnival shows take place on the grounds
of the Brooklyn Museum of Art (Washington Avenue at Eastern Parkway).
Doors open at 7 pm; shows begin at 8 pm.
On Thurs., Aug. 30, "Live Calypso & Mas and More Mas"
($15).
On Fri., Aug. 31, the "The Brass Festival" ($25) and,
from 1 to 4 pm, a "Stay in School/ Stay off Drugs"
concert ($2).
On Sat., Sept. 1 at 8 pm, the WIADCA "Steelband Panorama
Competition" ($20). At 10 am, the Children’s Carnival Parade
will step off at St. Johns Place and Kingston Avenue (Free).
On Sun., Sept. 2 at 8 pm, "The Dimanche Gras Show"
($25).
Concert tickets for all WIADCA shows are available at the Brooklyn
Museum of Art and at WIADCA (1028 St. John’s Place). All children’s
shows are free to youth of all ages, however, there is a suggested
donation of $2 for adults.
On Labor Day, Sept. 3, the parade will start at 11 am at Utica
Avenue and Eastern Parkway and will continue on Eastern Parkway
to Grand Army Plaza. For information about shows at the Museum,
call (718) 625-1515 or (718) 773-4052.
Also on Sept. 1, the USSA Steel band competition will take place
at the Thomas Jefferson HS athletic field at Flatlands Avenue
and Shepherd Avenue. Gates open at 6 pm, and the competition
starts at 8 pm. Tickets: $20. For more information, call (718)
243-9431.
