Senator James Sanders Jr. Launches Carnival in the Rockaways Drawing Crowd Ready to Party

Senator James Sanders Jr. (Far Rockaway, Rochdale Village) brought the party to the people over the weekend with the official preview / launch of the 3rd Annual Caribbean Carnival in the Rockaways.

A large crowd of attendees, many representing the Caribbean, gathered Saturday at the Beach 20^th Street Pedestrian Plaza to celebrate. There was live music by a steel pan band, a performance by a moko jumbie (or stilts walker), and exercise and fitness workouts lead by Wukkout! and FITBK / FITQB.

The Carnival's Entertainment Committee hosted a Curry-Que with lots of great food including curry chicken, curry goat, curry apple, mac and cheese, roti bread, Spanish rice and more.

However, all of this fun was just the appetizer, reminding everyone to come to the main event - the 3rd Annual Caribbean Carnival in the Rockaways on August 17, 2019 - when marchers will parade down Peninsula streets and Senator Sanders will play host and masquerader.

“Welcome to the Rockaways and welcome to the Carnival,” said Sanders during the kick off and press conference. "We are going to have some fun. We are going to be celebrating all of the Rockaways, but we will be particularly highlighting the contributions of the Caribbean community in America.”

Following the announcement, residents, supporters and Carnival Committee members joined Senator Sanders in a mini-march down Beach 20^th Street as Caribbean music played in the background.

Last year’s Caribbean Carnival in the Rockaways drew thousands of people and even more are expected to participate this year.
 
Carnival aims to celebrate Caribbean arts & culture while highlighting the hidden jewel that is the Rockaways. Senator Sanders invites people of all nationalities from all over the City and beyond to join him for this event.

“There will be good food, good company – come and make a friend,” Sanders said. “We are going to have a ball.”

The Carnival is presented in partnership with the West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA), Rockaway Development Revitalization Corporation (RDRC), New York City Parks Department, New York Police Department's 101st Police Precinct, Midday Medley 93.5 FM, St. John's Episcopal Hospital, The Wave newspaper and the Caribbean Carnival in the Rockaways Committee members.

The 3rd Annual Caribbean Carnival in the Rockaways will take place on Saturday, August 17, 2019 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., kicking off at Beach 59^th Street and Arverne Boulevard. It will feature a parade of floats, steel pan bands, moko jumbies, and masqueraders and culminate with live performances near the beach at 94^th Street.

For general information, to join the committee or to participate in Carnival contact Senator Sanders's office at 718-523-3069.