A full and personal version of New York’s Caribbean Carnival will return to Brooklyn next month, after a two-year cancellation, according to the American Indian Day Carnival Association of the West.
And the J’Ouvert town hall’s early-morning celebration is also making an in-person comeback, say organizers, who have announced the NYPD-approved route of the 2022 procession.
Registration for the New York Carnival’s elaborately costumed masquerade bands, royal kings and queens of bands, floats, vendors and other key carnival components is underway for the five-day festival, beginning September 1 and culminating in the grand parade through Brooklyn’s East Park on Labor Day Monday, September 5.
The carnival association will have temperature checks and wearing masks among the event’s soon-to-be-announced COVID-19 precautions.
Visit New York Carnival Registration for carnival registration forms and contact information for large groups and call (718) 467-1797 for general information.
“Matrons can expect an exciting week-long drive of Caribbean food, culture, music and heritage before the iconic West Indian Carnival parade,” WIADCA executives said, noting the youth-focused Junior Carnival and “Pan in a Minor” steel bands competition are among the attractions.
Nearly 40 groups of adults and youth have already signed up to participate in the Eastern Parkway Carnival Parade and the Junior Carnival Parade on September 3.
The adult group registration deadline is this Friday. Among the participants is the veteran, award-winning Sesame Flyers International mas band, which is “absolutely” happy to return to in-person celebrations, said director of band development Michelle Mathison.
“For 2021, we used old costumes that we shared with the community, who were desperate to find a costume to wear, for a symbolic parade along Eastern Parkway,” she said.
“However, we created new costumes and held an open house carnival at Dahved Levy’s restaurant ‘Imani’ in Fort Greene, Brooklyn,” Mathison said.
“Sesame Flyers has been a mainstay of the Caribbean community for 39 years,” she continued. “We saw it as our responsibility to keep the carnival spirit alive.”
Under the theme of the 2022 Sesame Flyers carnival “Tao – The Journey”, revelers are shopping for custom-made costumes created under the titles “Destiny” for the ladies and “Ying and Yang” for the men and women.
To purchase costumes and get information, visit Sesame Flyers International Costumes.
Last week, Yvette Rennie, president of J’Ouvert City International, announced the return in person in 2022 of the early morning festival of music and steel costumes, which is held before the Caribbean Carnival in New York.
Starting on Labor Day morning, J’Ouvert will be held from 6 am to 11 am. The route — through Brooklyn’s Crown Heights and Prospect-Lefferts Gardens neighborhoods — is sanctioned by the NYPD, said Rennie, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.
For information on J’Ouvert information, call (718) 636-8029 or (718) 469-3250.
FILM & HONOR FOR GARVEY
A big day is coming up for late black influence leader Marcus Garvey during Harlem Week celebrations when director Roy T. Anderson’s award-winning docu-drama “Redemption: The Life and Legacy of Marcus Garvey” premieres free in August. 17, and the day is declared Marcus Garvey Day by state Senator Cordell Cleare of Harlem.
Emmy Award-winning actor Keith David narrates the 85-minute film, which will be screened outdoors in Manhattan at Marcus Garvey Park’s Richard Rodgers Amphitheater, 18 Mt. Morris Park West, 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm Anderson will present film that evening.
“Redemption” chronicles Garvey’s life and lasting influence through interviews with “individuals” such as the son of late leader Dr. Julius Garvey, Oscar-winning actor Louis Gossett, Jr., Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X, and former Congressman Charles Rangel.
The show is produced by Anderson’s Black Star Line Films, and Jazzmobile/Summerfest, in association with the 20th Annual Imagenation Outdoors.
For information, contact Black Star Line Films at (905) 642-5050 and email [email protected].
