Mermaids Invading Brooklyn!
... and King Neptune too, as well as walking sea creatures, antique cars, marching bands and much more! This all means that it's time once again for the wacky and wonderful Coney Island Mermaid Parade, and this year's may be the biggest and best yet.
This is the 25th anniversary of the event that calls itself the national largest art parade, and with one of the key properties on Coney Island recently sold for development, the area will no doubt lose some of its old-time character and charm (how much remains to be seen).
All the more reason to come to this year's Mermaid Parade, this Saturday, June 23rd, at 2pm. It's a celebration of several things: the beginning of summer, the sea and sand and salt of the beach, and of course Coney Island's glorious history.
Did you know that Coney Island held a Mardi Gras from 1903 to 1954? The Mermaid Parade recalls those glory days with its crazy costumes, with marchers dressed up as mermaids, assorted ocean critters, Coney Island amusement rides, and more. And what would a parade be without antique cars, marching bands, and drill teams?
Check out the coneyisland.com Web site to learn a lot more about Coney Island's past and present. As you'll learn, a celebrity King Neptune and Queen Mermaid are chosen to preside over the festivities, helping to usher in the swim season by marching from the boardwalk to the beach and tossing fruit into the ocean (this is to appease the Sea Gods, the site says).
This year Adam Savage, host and star of MythBusters, will preside as King Neptune, while Patti d'Arbanville, star of Rescue Me, will serve as the Queen Mermaid.
After the parade, the Mermaid Parade Ball caps off the day of festivities with live music, raffles, and a host of burlesque and sideshow acts.
Can't make it to the Mermaid Parade? Well, Coney Island will be open all summer for swimming, and much of the rest of the year for checking out the amusements. (Riding the Cyclone rollercoaster may not be an option for much longer; it's on the property scheduled for redevelopment.)
And any time you can visit the New York Aquarium and have a hot dog (or two or three) at the original Nathan's.
If you can't make it to Coney Island at all, coneyisland.com has a cool online gift shop where you can buy Coney Island coffee mugs, posters, t-shirts, and much more.
Coney Island Mermaid Parade
Saturday, June 23rd, 2pm
(See Web site for directions and parade route)
