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Founded in 1983 by Coney Island USA, the Mermaid Parade celebrates the sand, sea, salt air and the beginning of summer. Participants dress in hand-made costumes as mermaids, Neptunes, various sea creatures, and the occasional wandering lighthouse. Each year, a celebrity King Neptune and Queen Mermaid rule over the proceedings, riding in the parade and assisting in the opening of the Ocean for the summer swimming season. Attending celebrities in the past have included David Byrne, Queen Latifah, Ron Kuby, Curtis Sliwa, Moby and Theo. The Parade is followed by the Mermaid Parade Ball