Depending on who you ask, this year’s Labor Day Parade was a hit or miss. Typically during the days leading up to the Labor Day Parade, there is a consensus amongst the moods of Brooklyn residents. Residents and tourist alike usually party from the Wednesday prior straight through to the parade. In the streets, cars and homes are decorated with patriotic pride blasting music to represent their country, it’s almost as if you can sense or even smell Labor Day in the air. This year was definitely different.
In NYC’s efforts to reduce crime that takes place annual at various pre-labor day events, the cops were out in full force. Parties that normally last until 5 in the morning were being shut down at 2am, and yearly rituals were being stopped by police enforcement. So during the pre-labor day festivities the overall feeling was “this does not feel like Labor Day in Brooklynâ€. With that attitude many still went out in large numbers to the Labor Day parade to attempt to salvage what they can from the weekend.
Labor Day Monday arrives and people prepare to make up for the past few days. Masqueraders and Non-Masqueraders prepared themselves to have fun on the parkway and get on bad. Although all attendees went with the same intention to have fun, the crowd definitely left with mix reviews. Many Masqueraders and families said that the parade was great, and went off with out of hitch. They appreciated the extra police that came out, and the great job that the police did at keeping non masqueraders out of the parade. Many said that this years Labor Day felt safer and ran smoother then previous years.
For those same reasons the parade was not received well by younger crowds and non-masqueraders. Typically every year bands are stormed by attendees who want to jump up without paying their fees. This year that was difficult if not impossible to achieve. Police were everywhere stopping parade goers from hopping over the barricades and getting on the parkway. This left many, who annually storm bands, to sit back and join the crowd as spectators. Many also noted that the amount of people that attended this year could not compare to previous years.
Many were left wondering was Labor Day 2k8 a hit or miss? Who is to say? All attendees experienced the same parade, with the same changes that took place and all with different feelings. I guess your opinion would be based on your goal to either get on bad or enjoy the parade with family. Let’s see what labor Day 2k9 has in store for us…
-Written by V. Farnum
-Photography by Sean James, Joel Stewart
