West Indian Day Parade 2026: Eastern Parkway Shuts Sept 7 for 7 Hours, and a Retired Ferry

Monday: West Indian Day Parade

Monday September 7 is the West Indian Day Parade in Brooklyn. According to Secret NYC, Eastern Parkway shuts down for about seven hours and close to two million people line the route. This is the loud, colorful finale of New York's Caribbean Carnival Week. Steel bands, costumes and food stalls run the length of the parkway. The parade itself is free. The cost is your patience if you need to drive across central Brooklyn that day. Do not try it. Use the subway or get dropped off several blocks away and walk the rest. The Brooklyn guide explains how the area fits into a wider visit. If you only have one day in New York, skip the parade crush and take the ferry to Staten Island instead.

Staten Island by Ferry: fair this weekend, comedy on Sep 17

The Staten Island FerryStaten Island FerryThe free 24-hour ferry between Lower Manhattan and Staten Island, sailing past the Statue of Liberty. is the right way to ease out of Manhattan. This weekend, Historic Richmond Town hosts the Richmond County Fair. Secret NYC calls it the city's original county fair, now 25 acres with carnival rides, over 100 local vendors and 1800s living history. It has run for more than four decades and is a slower, lazier counter to the Brooklyn parade. Ride the ferry, walk through the fair, then use the Staten Island guide to fill out the afternoon.

Two weeks later, the island's ferry name gets a different meaning. On September 17, the retired ferry that Pete Davidson and Colin Jost bought in 2022 becomes Snapple Island Ferry for a one-night free comedy show. Secret NYC says tickets are dropping now. Free comedy on a decommissioned ferry is exactly the kind of thing that sells out fast. Bookmark the event page and move when tickets appear.