Caribbean Roots First Lady Among Grand Marshals For Brooklyn West Indian Labor Day Carnival

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. Sept. 3, 2018: New York’s Caribbean-roots First Lady, Chirlane McCray, is among the grand marshals set to lead off today’s West Indian American Labor Day Carnival in Brooklyn, NY.

McCray, who her husband. NYC Mayor Bill DeBlasio called his “Bajan Queen” at the carnival’s launch reception at Gracie Mansion recently, will join William Howard, Jr., son of the late President of the West Indians American Day Carnival Association, William Howard, as well as Attorney Sanford Rubenstein, and Davis Gayle, CEO Tropical Paradise Restaurant, in leading off the parade.

New York State Governor, Andrew Cuomo and Mayor deBlasio will join other corporate sponsors as honorary grand marshals.

This year’s parade is being presented weeks after the death of Howard, an African-American who served as the association’s President until his death under the theme, ‘Keeping Culture Alive – Next Generation.’

Organizers claim the Parade is now in its 51st year. It culminates a weekend of events which have included BrassFest, Panorama, the Junior Caribbean Carnival and Dimanche Gras.

Today’s parade will kick off after a breakfast that will as usual be dominated by city, state and federal politicians, who turn the annual event into a political circus, but that is for a few hours, until the next parade rolls around in a year.

The parade itself will include a number of costumed bands and revelers marching along with politicians down Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn.