Plezi Rara leads nighttime march of Haitian street music into jouvert 

BROOKLYN — As has become tradition on the Sunday before the New York Carnival sets off, the sound of drums, horns and chants filled Parkside Plaza in the dark of night with Plezi Rara at the head of the crowd. What began with a small group of musicians and followers quickly grew into hundreds of revelers, marching north along Ocean Avenue and through Crown Heights before heading into Prospect Park in the annual jouvert procession. 

Haitian American artists, including rapper Bennchoumy of Audio Alkemi and percussionist and rapper Okai were among the revelers fueled the energy of the night, Revelers kept on their toes to the sharp beat of the drums and horns as they crossed Eastern Parkway at Bedford Avenue and paraded past the Brooklyn Museum and Brooklyn Public Library, as the procession had swelled. Participants then continued into Prospect Park, shadowed closely by NYPD officers.

Drums echoed under the trees, chants rose with the crowd until 5:30 a.m., when the band emerged from the park at Parkside and Ocean avenues, greeted by the first light of day.

Plezi Rara left Parkside Plaza after midnight ushering in jouvert morning with a burst of energy overnight on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. Photo by Bill Farrington Plezi Rara marched for three hours through the streets before entering Prospect Park followed by several NYPD vans. Haiti born Marie Daniel told the Haitian Times “The Energy was so powerful it was calling me” She traveled for the first time in Brooklyn from Montreal for the event. Photo by Bill Farrington Bennchoumy of rap duo Audio Alchemi and Okai, who recently released “Rekolte” with DJ Sabine Blaizin, were among the revelers following Plezi Rara jouvert morning. Photo by Bill Farrington Followers swelled in number, reaching into the hundreds as the musicians approached the Brooklyn Museum. Many then headed into other jouvert celebrations held later that morning. Photo by Bill Farrington At 3 a.m., Plezi Rara turned the procession south toward its final destination at Prospect Park. Gabe, a Cape Verde native from New Bedford, Massachusetts, felt transported by the experience. The first-time participant said, “It could have been 1793, for me. It could have clearly been Boukman or Toussaint—That sound, those rhythms were putting together the social fabric that would pull off the Haitian Revolution.” Photo by Bill Farrington

The post Plezi Rara leads nighttime march of Haitian street music into jouvert  appeared first on The Haitian Times.