Coney Island’s Mermaid Parade is causing a stir after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic as thousands of New Yorkers descend on the boardwalk in the nation’s largest arts parade
- On Saturday, spectators lined up to check out the creative costumes during the country’s largest arts parade, which has not taken place since 2019 due to the pandemic
- The parade, which has 1,500 participants from across New York City, celebrates ancient coastal mythology and “honky-tonk rituals,” according to the parade’s website
- The Mermaid Parade is a local tradition that has been around since 1983, celebrating both the summer solstice and the quirky heritage of the borough of Brooklyn
advertisement
People turned out in their funkiest outfits for the triumphant return of Coney Island’s Mermaid Parade.
On Saturday, spectators lined up to check out the creative costumes during the country’s largest arts parade, which has not taken place since 2019 due to the pandemic.
The parade, which has 1,500 participants from across New York City, celebrates ancient coastal mythology and “honky-tonk rituals,” according to the parade’s website.
A young girl rocks funky blue hair and holds a trident on one of the floats for the 40th Annual Mermaid Parade
Two mermaids shine in the back seat of a convertible while taking part in this year’s mermaid parade
A man wears a creative fish head costume as part of the nautical theme for the annual Brooklyn Art Parade
A participant in the parade smiles as she takes part in the festivities, which celebrate ancient coastal mythology and honky-tonk rituals
A large group of people dressed in nines take part in the Mermaid Parade 40th Annual Mermaid Parade in Coney Island,
During the 40th Annual Mermaid Parade, parade participants stun in traditional yellow outfits
After a two-year hiatus, a parade-goer holds up a sign celebrating the return of the Mermaid Parade
An adorable baby dressed up as some kind of sea creature joins the 40th Annual Mermaid Parade
The Mermaid Parade is a local tradition that has been around since 1983, celebrating both the summer solstice and the quirky heritage of the borough of Brooklyn.
The parade now has a global following and is held each year on the Saturday closest to the summer solstice.
Adam Rinn, the artistic director of Coney Island USA, which organizes the event, told Gothamist that the parade has something for everyone.
“Imagine the largest underwater safari you can experience, where there’s just something to see everywhere,” said Rinn. “And if you blink, don’t worry because there’s more cool stuff to come.”
Every year a King Neptune and a Mermaid Queen are crowned.
Swarms of glittering mermaids marched in a dazzling combination of pearls, jewels, fringed shells, sequins, scales and glittering seaweed.
Festive floats drove down the parade route in Coney Island while protesters danced under the hot sun and crowds cheered from the sidewalk.
DJ Vourderis of Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park told PIX 11 that the parade is a “huge party” and that it’s exactly what people need in the wake of the pandemic.
“COVID has brought out the worst in us,” he said. “This is the best of us and a place of joy.”
A group of women strike a pose in their most colorful dresses and makeup at the Mermaid Parade in Brooklyn
A parade-goer opts for a more political costume, dressing as a judge with a sash that reads ‘Save Roe v Wade’.
Festive floats drove down the parade route in Coney Island while protesters danced under the hot sun and crowds cheered from the sidewalk
A parade participant waves to the adoring crows as he wears an impressive headpiece
A parade participant dons heart-shaped sunglasses and wears an extravagant purple ensemble
People dressed eccentrically for the celebrations take the subway to Mermaid Parade on Saturday
Swarms of glittering mermaids rocked a dazzling sea of pearls, jewels, fringed shells, sequins, scales and glittering seaweed