2014 New York West Indian American Day Carnival Parade: On the Road With Sesame Carnival
Brooklyn became the center of Caribbean New York on Labor Day, Monday, September 1, 2014, as the West Indian American Day Carnival returned to Eastern Parkway.
For Julianspromos, the 2014 road experience meant going directly inside the mas with Sesame Carnival, as feathers, jewels, flags and Soca filled the streets for one of New York City’s biggest Caribbean celebrations.
Sheniele “Vivaa” Dodson hosted the Julianspromos coverage and played mas with Sesame Carnival, while Julian C. Hackett shot and edited the footage.
Sesame Carnival Brings “Bollywood” to Eastern Parkway
Sesame’s 2014 presentation was “Bollywood,” bringing a bright, elaborate collection of Carnival costumes onto the Parkway.
Vivaa played mas in the Royalty section, wearing a costume designed by Akin & Caprice.
That put her right inside the band rather than watching from the sidelines, giving the Julianspromos coverage the feel of actually moving through Carnival with the masqueraders.
Feathers, colorful costumes and packed streets surrounded the band as it made its way through Brooklyn.
Vivaa Takes the Mic — and Plays Mas
Hosting Carnival while actually playing mas is a different kind of assignment.
Vivaa moved through the band with the Julianspromos microphone while dressed for the road, interacting with masqueraders and bringing viewers directly into the Sesame Carnival experience.
The result was part Carnival highlights, part road diary and part celebration.
With Julian behind the camera, the footage follows the action from inside the band as the music, costumes and crowd take over Eastern Parkway.
The Sound of Sesame Carnival
A Carnival band is only as alive as the music moving it forward, and Sesame had plenty of it.
Music on the truck came from Massive B’s Jabba and Bobby Konders, Freeze International, DJ Spice, Elite Squad and Vibesman Redman.
The soundtrack captured many of the records driving Caribbean parties that season, with music from artists including Destra Garcia, Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin, Kerwin Du Bois, Lead Pipe & Saddis, Farmer Nappy, Mr Killa, Lyrikal, Blaxx, Lil Rick and more.
Dancehall also joined the mix with music from artists including Konshens, Mr Vegas and Vybz Kartel.
It was the kind of soundtrack built for one thing: keeping the band moving.
Young Voice Hits the Road
Young Voice also became part of the Julianspromos Carnival coverage.
His Sesame Carnival version of “Bass” appears in the video, followed later by an interview and performance captured during the parade.
It added another layer to the road experience, mixing the mas and music with an artist moment right in the middle of Carnival.
Watch New York Carnival 2014
Event Date: September 1, 2014
Video Upload Date: September 5, 2014
Mas Band: Sesame Carnival / Sesame Flyers International
2014 Presentation: Bollywood
Vivaa’s Section: Royalty
Costume Designers: Akin & Caprice
Julianspromos Host: Sheniele “Vivaa” Dodson
Shot & Edited By: Julian C. Hackett
New York Carnival 2014 Photo Gallery
The photographs from the day capture Sesame Carnival’s Bollywood presentation, Vivaa on the road, masqueraders in costume and the massive atmosphere surrounding Eastern Parkway.
From close-up costume details to the wider parade scene, the gallery shows why New York Carnival remains one of the most visually exciting Caribbean celebrations in the city.
Eastern Parkway Belongs to Carnival
The West Indian American Day Carnival has turned Brooklyn into a Caribbean gathering place every Labor Day for generations.
In 2014, the parade traveled along Eastern Parkway toward Grand Army Plaza, bringing together masquerade bands, DJs, musicians, dancers and spectators representing islands from across the Caribbean.
Flags filled the route.
Soca blasted from trucks.
Masqueraders transformed the Parkway into a moving display of feathers, beads, color and Caribbean pride.
For a few hours, Brooklyn looked and sounded like one enormous Carnival band.
More Than Just the Parade
Labor Day Monday may be the centerpiece, but New York Carnival stretches across an entire weekend of Caribbean culture.
The days surrounding the parade traditionally bring Junior Carnival, Panorama, concerts, parties and Dimanche Gras, building toward the main road experience on Eastern Parkway.
By the time Sesame Carnival reached the Parkway on Monday, the city had already been celebrating for days.
From the Julianspromos Archives
New York Carnival had already become an important part of Julianspromos’ story by 2014.
The platform had documented the West Indian Day Carnival in earlier years, but the Sesame Carnival coverage shows how the work was becoming increasingly immersive.
Vivaa hosted while playing mas inside the band, and Julian C. Hackett shot and edited the footage from the road, allowing viewers to experience Carnival from within the presentation rather than simply watching the parade pass by.
The video and photographs now capture a piece of New York Carnival history: Sesame Carnival’s Bollywood presentation, the music that moved the Parkway and the people who made Labor Day 2014 another unforgettable Caribbean celebration in Brooklyn.
Event Details
Event: West Indian American Day Carnival Parade
Date: Monday, September 1, 2014
Location: Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, New York
Mas Band: Sesame Carnival / Sesame Flyers International
Presentation: Bollywood
Vivaa’s Section: Royalty
Costume Designers: Akin & Caprice
Music On Truck: Jabba, Bobby Konders, Freeze International, DJ Spice, Elite Squad, Vibesman Redman
Featured Artist: Young Voice
Julianspromos Host: Sheniele “Vivaa” Dodson
Shot & Edited By: Julian C. Hackett
Video Upload Date: September 5, 2014
Available Media: Original video and photo gallery
