The West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA) has announced reggae icon Buju Banton and KesTheBand lead vocalist Kees Dieffenthaller (Kes) as Honorary Grand Marshals for the 59th Annual New York Caribbean Carnival Parade, taking place on Labour Day, Monday, September 7, 2026, in Brooklyn, New York.

The appointments reflect this year’s theme, “One Caribbean,” bringing together two influential voices representing Jamaica’s reggae and dancehall traditions and Trinidad and Tobago’s soca and Carnival culture.

Buju Banton has spent decades bringing Jamaican music and Caribbean culture to audiences around the world, establishing himself as one of reggae and dancehall most influential voices.