By the time the parade got underway, close to a million people had lined the sidewalks along Eastern Parkway to get a glimpse of the spectacle, as the slow moving parade showered the crowd with carnival-style theatrics.  There was no shortage of sparkling sequins and flowing feathers, as an army of dancers and costumed marchers gyrated to reggae, dancehall, Soca, Calypso, and every other style of Caribbean music, as floats competed to see who had the loudest sound system. And, as the ears of parade-goers were not limited to choice, neither were their palates, as a symphony of Jerk Chicken, Curried Goat, and more wafted scents of culinary paradise that transported everyone to the tropics, if only for a day.

 “We love sponsoring events like this,” said Tom Early, Executive Director of Health Plus.  “Even though the weather is hot out, this parade made it hotter! Each year the energy gets brighter and louder and the parade seems to be bigger than the last. The costumes get more and more impressive, and every year the crowd gets more and more excited.  At Health Plus, we are very proud to be a sponsor of the West Indian Day Parade, and look forward to being back next year.”