Immerse yourself in rich Caribbean culture and heritage with the West Indian Day Parade and carnival. Enjoy steel-pan and calypso bands in elaborate costumes as they march down Eastern Parkway. Grab homestyle island grub along the route in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. The parade always features skin, feathers and sequins, with flags and music that celebrate the heritage of Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti, Barbados, Dominica, Saint Lucia, Jamaica, Saint Vincent and Grenada, Guyana, Suriname and Belize, among others. Revelers often dress up as political figures or celebrities and throw powdered paint at each other, while steel drums and whistles provide the celebratory soundtrack. Look out for food vendors offering traditional dishes.