CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn (PIX11) — The Labor Day weekend got started early Thursday in Brooklyn at the West Indian American Day Carnival festivities.

The party in the parking lot of the Brooklyn Museum was the first official event of the long holiday weekend. It’s a weekend that NYPD officials said will be fun – and safe.

PIX11’s Eileen Lehpamer has more on this story in the video player.

You can watch special live coverage of the West Indian Day Parade on PIX11 and PIX11.com. PIX11 Special: New York Carnival Parade airs Monday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.