The West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA) proudly announces the appointment of Soca Legend Kees Dieffenthaller of KesTheBand and Reggae icon Buju Banton as Honorary Grand Marshals of the 59th Annual New York Caribbean Carnival Week and Parade, presented by West Indian American Carnival Day Association (WIADCA). The parade will take place on Labor Day, Monday, September 7, 2026, in Brooklyn, New York from 11AM EST.

The appointment of two of the Caribbean’s most influential musical voices reflects the spirit of this year’s Carnival theme, ‘One Caribbean’, celebrating the cultural connections that unite the region and its diaspora across borders, generations, and musical traditions.

From Trinidad and Tobago’s soca and Carnival culture to Jamaica’s reggae and dancehall traditions, Dieffenthaller and Banton represent the extraordinary influence of Caribbean music on global culture. Their appointments as Honorary Grand Marshals underscore the power of music to bring Caribbean people together and to introduce the region’s culture, creativity, and heritage to audiences around the world.