Colorful costumes galore were on display at the 2023 Queens Carnival.
Photo by Gabriele Holtermann
It was all about Caribbean culture and heritage at the fifth annual Queens Carnival in Far Rockaway on Saturday, Aug. 26.
The free family-friendly event included a parade with floats, vendors along the boardwalk at Beach 17th Street, plenty of Caribbean food, fireworks and a music concert at O’Donohue Park. Additionally, revelers had the chance to win two round-trip tickets to anywhere in the U.S., provided by carnival partner JetBlue.
The Queens Carnival Parade kicked off at 701 Bay 32nd St. at around 12:30 p.m., when Caribbean Americans wearing vibrant colored costumes danced to Reggae and Socca music as floats featuring TWU Local 100, St. John’s Episcopal Hospital and elected officials made their way through Far Rockaway to the Rockaway Boardwalk at 9th Street and Seagirt Boulevard.
At O’Donohue Park, host Ian “The Goose” Elgon led the Queens Carnival concert, featuring musicians like Rikki Jai, Ricochet, Skinny Banton, Eddie Charles, Suhrawh & Kidblaze, LiveWire & Chucky and Lady Sparkles, who had the crowd on their feet, waving flags from their respective islands.
The Queens Carnival was the brainchild of state Sen. James Sanders, who envisioned bringing the community together with the festivities.
Sanders expressed that everyone was Caribbean at the festival, as they were celebrating the greatness of the islands.
“I was born in Long Island. My mother is from Alabama and my father is from South Carolina, but today, I’m from the Islands,” Sanders declared.
He praised Caribbeans for their culture, food and medicine.
“Wherever the people of the Caribbean go, they change the world for the better,” Sanders said. “They have come to New York City — not just New York City — they’ve come to Queens, the world’s most diverse borough.”
Sanders partnered with Assemblyman Khaleel Anderson, Councilwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers and…
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