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Thousands come to Flatbush for first Jamaica Rising Day Parade

Louis C. Hochman

Published Aug 8, 2026

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The first-ever Jamaica Day Paraade came to Flatbush Saturday.

Helen Ho / Gothamist

Louis C. Hochman

Published Aug 8, 2026

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Thousands of people turned out in Brooklyn Saturday for what organizers said isn’t only the city’s first-ever Jamaica Rising Day Parade — but the first in the United States.

The parade comes as Jamaica marks its 64th year of independence, after more than three centuries of British control — with Jamaica Independence Day just a few days earlier, on Aug. 6.

Organizer Bill Tinglin told “All Things Considered" host Sean Carlson this week he wanted to make a celebratory statement: “Yes, Jamaica is raising its flag, and here we are, the first of its kind in the United States, and let's just enjoy the joy."

Mitch Rapp at the Jamaica Day Parade

Helen Ho / Gothamist

The parade stepped off at 11 a.m. from Church and Ocean avenues in Flatbush, and continued north along Ocean Avenue until Lincoln Road near Empire Boulevard. Familiar Brooklyn musical presence DJ Danglez, a member of Federation Sound, was tapped as the “star DJ” for a festival that included reggae, dancehall, soca and R&B music

It’s a big weekend for cultural and community events. Summer Streets is providing a car-free path from the top to bottom of Manhattan Saturday — with a significant police presence. The Giglio Society of East Harlem’s annual Giglio Feast started Thursday and continues through Sunday, with games, rides, food and live entertainment. The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival is in Flushing Meadows Corona Park Saturday and Sunday. And The 44th annual Dominican Day Parade — among the largest parades of the year in New York City — steps off from Sixth Avenue and West 38th Street in Manhattan at 11 a.m Sunday.

Photos by Helen Ho.

Helen Whitter

Helen Ho / Gothamist

Asha Richards

Helen Ho / Gothamist

Marceia Clayton

Helen Ho / Gothamist

Tagged

Race And Justice Unit

brooklyn

events

festivals

Louis C. Hochman

After about two decades in (mostly) New Jersey-focused commercial print, digital and digital-but-radio-adjacent news, Lou stumbled into member-supported news in early 2021, as the editor and CEO of Montclair Local. There, he (hopes he) expanded enterprise, brought more sophistication to digital storytelling and moved the nonprofit newsroom closer to long-term financial sustainability. He helped lead the Local to its fourth consecutive General Excellence award from the New Jersey Press Association — the NJPA's highest honor with judges noting the paper's work to strip away layers of government opacity, to hold power to account, to make news accessible for more members of the community, to share the stories and concerns of more facets of the community and to tell compelling stories across multiple media. He's excited to continue the same ethic — news as a public service — at NYPR as the New Jersey and suburbs editor, drawing on the extraordinary talents of reporters including Karen Yi and Nancy Solomon. Lou lives in Philly (that commute!) with his partner and their two cats, about whom and about which he speaks incessantly.

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