Carnival will get an early start
CITY BEAT
They are the one-two punch of the city’s Carnival celebration: The J’Ouvert pre-dawn march through Flatbush, followed by the day-long West Indian American Day Parade on Eastern Parkway. But the same people do not run them both.
“We have nothing to do with J’Ouvert,” said Angela Sealy, treasurer of the West Indian American Day Carnival Association, organizers of the West Indian American Day Parade, which is expected to draw some three million revelers to Eastern Parkway on Sept. 3. “We know who the people are who run it, and they know us. But we don’t have anything to do with J’Ouvert.”
Pronounced “Joo Vay,” from the French “jour ouvert,” or “day open,” J’Ouvert kicks off around 2 a.m. Monday at Grand Army Plaza. Participants follow steel pan bands south on Flatbush Ave. to Empire Boulevard, east on Empire to Nostrand, then right on Nostrand to Linden Boulevard.
The celebration is big on dancing and clouds of baby powder, which celebrants throw in the air and on each other along the route. Smaller than the massive parade that kicks off some four hours after J’Ouvert’s 6 a.m. conclusion, many J’Ouvert participants grab a quick nap before heading to Eastern Parkway for carnival.
The two celebrations make for a full day of partying and are so closely associated that many people assume the WIADCA board also sponsors J’Ouvert.
“People have even tried to sue us for something that happened at J’Ouvert,” Sealy said. “When the lawyers call, we have to tell them they have the wrong people.”
Blogger Jeffrey Contray details the ins and outs of the 2008 J’Ouvert celebration at his website, http://contraysdictions.blogspot.com.
“Do not: Show up at 2 a.m.,” Contray wrote. “It’ll probably be a ghost town. There’s a big
Dimanche Gras ( a carnival band competition) party that goes until 2 a.m., and then people take their time getting situated. It’s a West Indian party, and everybody is on Caribbean time. Get
there at 4:30 a.m. and you’ll be fine.”
WIADCA officials last week announced that singer, actor and human rights pioneer Harry Belafonte, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Trinidad and Tobago Soca singer Machel Montano will serve as co-grand marshals of this year’s parade. The three will join Mayor Bloomberg at the head of the throng when festivities kick off at 10 a.m.
Jamaica-born Belafonte, 85, took part in many of the Civil Rights demonstrations in the 1960’s and remains active today.
William Howard, first vice president of the West Indian American Day Carnival Association — the parade organizers — said Belafonte’s appearance will also commemorate the 50th anniversary of Jamaican independence.
Montano will also headline WIADCA’s “Officials Brass Fest” concert on Friday at the Brooklyn Museum with Patrice Rob- erts, Farmer Nappy, Edwin Yearwood & Krosfayh, Lyrical and Young Devyn. For more information on the show, see www.wiadcacarnival.com.
Organizers also announced that Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz will kick off the city’s carnival season with an Aug. 24 invitation-only reception for 800 guests at Brooklyn Borough Hall.
The event replaces the Mayor’s reception at Gracie Mansion, which organizers were forced to cancel this year because of budget restraints.
Although a 2004 study found the carnival — which has tripled in size since then — pumped $154.8 million into the city’s economy, WIADCA this year had difficulty reaching its $1.3 million budget.
Howard said this year’s sponsors include the Daily News, National Grid, the Municipal Credit Union, Preferred Health Partners, Health First and Bacardi Rum.