Every four years, the West Indian American Day Parade, known for transforming Brooklyn with its colorful and exuberant pageantry on Labor Day, takes on another dimension as a must stop for New York City’s mayoral candidates.

With two months until Election Day, the four leading mayoral candidates honored that tradition on Monday, with the nature of their appearances reflecting their status in the race.

Three of the candidates — former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, Mayor Eric Adams, both of whom are running as independents, and Curtis Sliwa, the Republican nominee — marched in the parade, with Mr. Adams and Mr. Sliwa walking the length of the route to a mix of mostly cheers and some boos.

Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee and favorite in the race, was given an elevated platform, mostly riding atop floats sponsored by a nurses union, a teachers’ union and the Working Families Party. He was received warmly.

The day signals the start of the two-month sprint to Election Day, even if the actual parade is often devoid of naked politicking. It is more an opportunity for candidates to be seen supporting the West Indian community and establish some good will that they hope to be repaid in the ballot box.

“Is Jamaica in the house?” Mr. Mamdani said at the parade’s official pre-event breakfast, attended by Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James, as well as Mr. Adams and Mr. Sliwa. (Mr. Cuomo skipped the breakfast.) “Is Grenada in the house? Is Haiti in the house? Is Barbados in the house? I was told there’s no politicking allowed, so I’m going to leave it there.”