Best place to view the Caribbean Day parade?

laura b

Last time I went I was in Grand Army Plaza, which was a kind of a madhouse. Maybe it's that way all along the parade route, but I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for best viewing spots. (I'm height-challenged, so this is important.) The steps of the Bklyn museum, perhaps?

p.s. I think next year there ought to be a Daily Heights float.

carnivore

Subject: Re: Best place to view the Caribbean Day parade?

I think you need to find someone who lives on Eastern Parkway and has a window facing the street. Either that or just go along Eastern Parkway until you find a spot where you can get to the front. It's usually not too hard.

dailyheights

This is probably a good time to ask: where does everyone or anyone plan to be during the parade?

easternpkwy

it's the LIBRARY that is closed off for construction....but the museum will probably be pretty well secured - that's where the reviewing stands are. And Mount Prospect Park is also traditionally closed off.

Good viewing places: at the top of the hill between Washington and Underhill, because there are fewer trees to block the view, and you can see the parade coming up the block. The one down side is that this is the end of the parade, and often the dancers/marchers are tired out...

I've never done it personally, but I bet going to the midpoint - New York/Brooklyn Aves - before the marchers go up the hill at Nostrand/Rogers/Bedford - might be a really energetic point, with good viewing opportunities....

daveb

This is probably a good time to ask: where does everyone or anyone plan to be during the parade?

Locked away with a bunch of booze, DVDs and a loaded handgun. :twisted:

11238

daveb wrote:

This is probably a good time to ask: where does everyone or anyone plan to be during the parade?

Locked away with a bunch of booze, DVDs and a loaded handgun. :twisted:

Ditto.....

For those people who park their cars on the street, I would suggest putting them in the garage for the night......

carnivore

11238 wrote: [quote=daveb]

This is probably a good time to ask: where does everyone or anyone plan to be during the parade?

Locked away with a bunch of booze, DVDs and a loaded handgun. :twisted:

Ditto.....

For those people who park their cars on the street, I would suggest putting them in the garage for the night......
Definitely, otherwise you will have a dented roof at an absolute minimum.

emily

Does anyone know if there is official parade info online? I should think that they'd be considering not having it in light of events down South. I doubt anyone was having parades anywhere the weekend after 9/11.

easternpkwy

www.wiadca.org

no mention of katrina one way or other...

carnivore

This parade itself is a force of nature. There is no way it could be called off.

pitu

I watched from Nostrand and Eastern Pkway a couple of years - there's a dip in the road so you can see the parade shimmering towards you. The reviewing stand is at B'klyn Museum like someone said, so you won't get near it. I find it's pretty played out by Grand Army plaza - that's where they break up.

If you want to move anywhere in the same direction of the parade, it's easiest to join one of the mas camps (bouncing crowds around a sound truck.) I found it alot less aggressive than some mosh pits, but with a similar energy and pogoing vibe. You have to like that kind of thing to enjoy getting in the street.

Or you can stay on the sidewalk and get something to eat. The costumes and energy are great.

sje

The food is incredible, and I look forward to it every year! :P We usually go early and work the stalls up and down Eastern Parkway. Have to say I split before the actual parade starts, because I can't stand the crowds {height challenged}.

laura b

sje wrote: The food is incredible, and I look forward to it every year! :P We usually go early and work the stalls up and down Eastern Parkway. Have to say I split before the actual parade starts, because I can't stand the crowds {height challenged}.

Are there particular dishes or treats you recommend?

carnivore

Laura B wrote: [quote=sje]The food is incredible, and I look forward to it every year! :P We usually go early and work the stalls up and down Eastern Parkway. Have to say I split before the actual parade starts, because I can't stand the crowds {height challenged}.

Are there particular dishes or treats you recommend?
Jerk pork, curried goat roti, any patty with coco bread, cod fritters, corn on the cob.. You basically can't go wrong.

will

Should car folks be concerned anywhere in Prospect Heights, or just close to the parade route?

ana.log

Will wrote: Should car folks be concerned anywhere in Prospect Heights, or just close to the parade route?

Yes, you should be. I had to drive to Kensington this afternoon and it took an hour there and back because of street closings and extra traffic (normally a 10 minute drive).

What day is the actual parade?

pitu

Parade is Monday, but there's other events all weekend

for instance

Sunday is Panorama music fest (pan = steel drum) at the Brooklyn Museum.

outeraccelerator

the best view is probably from the top of the arch at grand army plaza... if you can scale it.


on another note - i saw some little kids in their costumes today either going to some pre-celebration or just trying them on for friends/family... so friggen cute.

pitu

Early EARLY Monday morning (3am to 9am . . . sunday night to monday morning) is the J'ouvert, a Trini thing with the pan orchestras.

Here's a link

http://www.carnaval.com/cityguides/newyork/ny_carn.htm

"The Jouvert starts at Grand Army Plaza on Flatbush Avenue and goes to Empire Boulevard into Nostrand Avenue where it ends on Clarkson Avenue. As many as 10 or 12 steelbands go through the streets as their members dance and party on the street. 

Immediately after the Jouvert the labor-day carnival begins on the Parkway where it starts at Utica Avenue and ends at the Grand Army Plaza at 6pm"

Happy Labor Day!

flute

dailyheights wrote: where does everyone or anyone plan to be during the parade?

I typically head into Manhattan long before the parade hits full drive and then return home around 6PM. I can see it from my apartment, but the cacophany is waaay too much for my fragile nerve endings to handle.

flute

EmilyM wrote: I should think that they'd be considering not having it in light of events down South. I doubt anyone was having parades anywhere the weekend after 9/11.

That is SUCH a good point.