Even though Crown Heights' West Indian American Day Carnival is months away, organizers are already locked in to make sure the event is ready for its 50th anniversary in September.
 
Workshops, rehearsals and symposiums take place in the months before the celebration, while permits and insurance must also be acquired to allow the event to happen at all.
 
"It's not just that one day when you walk down and you see the mass," says Valerie McLeod-Katz, a production stage manager. "There's a yearlong process in terms of planning and implementation."
 
To celebrate the carnival's 50th year, organizers hope to add more parties and even boat rides, looking to attract more young people and show them their heritage.