We’ve made it to the final stretch of August. The bad news is that summer is just about over. The silver lining is that we’ve reached the final descent and the countdown to New York Carnival has begun.
It’s culminating event, West Indian American Day Parade, is color, is music, is dancing, history, and cultural vitality. It’s Soca, Calypso, steel pan, Reggae, and Kompa. It’s sizzling jerk chicken, piquant curry, rum, and mauby. New York Carnival Week is a celebration of the people, cultures, and countries of the Caribbean who’ve contributed to New York City and built communities here.
New York Carnival Week Events
Sunday, August 24th, 2025
4th Annual Tropicalfete’s Caribbean Pop Up Carnival in Times Square
2:00pm-6:00pm
Carnival Week kicks off in Times Square, the Crossroads of the World. Brooklyn-based non-profit, Tropicalfete gets it started with live performances by Soca Queen Denise Belfon, steel pan, moko jumbies, carnival costumes, and more. Fun for the entire family and there’s something for everyone.
Times Square
Broadway/West 46 Street to West 47 Street/7th Avenue
New York, NY 10036
Planet Brooklyn
7:30pm
Still want more? Head to Barclays Center for the Planet Brooklyn concert, which starts at 7:30pm. It features headliner, Soca superstar Machel Montano, along with many other Soca and Dancehall hard hitters.
Buy your tickets on Ticketmaster.
Barclays Center
620 Atlantic Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11217
Tuesday, August 26th, 2025
Little Caribbean Last Lap Garden Fête
6:00pm-9:00pm
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Skip happy hour and head to Brooklyn Botanic Garden for a fete, in partnership with I AM caribBEING. Free up with the sounds of Soca and Dancehall with DJs Khalil and DJ Selector Sean, a rum punch in hand, and tropical greenery as the backdrop.
Buy your ticket here.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Entrances
150 Eastern Parkway
455 Flatbush Avenue
990 Washington Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11225
Friday, August 29th, 2025
SocaFest 2025
8:00pm-3:00am
Friday evening, Brooklyn Museum is the place top be. SocaFest returns with headliner Kes The bands, along with other Soca heavy weights, like Bunji Garlin, Mical Teja, and Fay-Ann Lyons, with many others.
Buy your tickets here.
Brooklyn Museum
200 Eastern Pkwy
Brooklyn, New York
saturday, August 30th, 2025
Junior Carnival 2025
9:00am-4:00pm
The kiddies will hit the streets of Crown Heights on Saturday morning to show off their costumes. You can watch from the street (route TBD) or buy a general admission ticket to spectate at Brooklyn Museum, where the festivities will continue.
Buy your tickets here.
Brooklyn Museum
200 Eastern Pkwy
Brooklyn, New York
New York Panorama 2025
6:00pm-1:00am
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Saturday night, it’s back to Brooklyn Museum to enjoy the sweet sounds of steel pan. Arrive early to make sure you get a good seat to hear New York City’s steel pan orchestras battle it out for the championship. Can’t make it out? Panorama will be streaming live on Pay Per View on Synergy TV.
Buy your ticket here.
Brooklyn Museum
200 Eastern Pkwy
Brooklyn, New York
Monday, September 1st, 2025
J’ouvert
6:00am-11:00am (officially)
Are you still up? Or, maybe, Did you ever go to bed? is the better question. J’ouvert comes from the French word “jour ouvert”, meaning daybreak or morning, which has its roots in Trinidad (Grenada has a similar tradition, Jab Jab.) It’s a break of dawn street celebration of emancipation and freedom. Today, this tradition continues on the streets of Flatbush and Crown Heights. Some dress in traditional costumes costumes — like devils — while others play steel pan and other instruments. Revelers douse themselves in paint, powder, and motor oil, tossing it on each other. If you decide to go, don’t wear anything you wouldn’t want stained or covered in paint!
J’Ouvert City International is a great organization that educates the community about the j’ouvert and keeps Trinidadian carnival traditions alive. Follow them on Instagram for more information.
Nostrand Avenue and Midwood Street
Brooklyn, New York 11225
58th Annual New York Carnival Parade
10:00am-6:00pm
The countdown is over!
Eastern Parkway, between Rochester Avenue and Grand Army Plaza
Brooklyn, New York
Can’t Get Enough Carnival?
Looking for more events to attend this upcoming week? Check out the West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA) website, FETE LIST, Frontline Ticketing, and Eventbrite for tickets to fetes and carnival week events.
Looking for Caribbean food and drinks? Try these Caribbean-owned New York restaurants.