Culture

Coney Island Mermaid Parade 2007

by kate | June 19, 2007 at 12:39 pm

3916 views | 17 Recommendations | 6 comments

Updated Again: Several NP contributors went to the parade and it was fabulous, albeit very very crowded (25th Anniversary, great weather outside, and it might all be gone next year). Watch this space for pics from this year's parade.

This Saturday, June 23rd brings the Silver Anniversary of the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. This is an amazing event in which thousands of people dress up in a variety of mermaid-inspired costumes for the largest art parade in the United States.

I predict that this year will be especially bizarre, super-realized, or at least poignant, as it is also the final summer for Coney Island, which will be redeveloped in the Fall into a "Vegas-style" resort. Although nothing says "old Coney Island" like some sea-green pasties, here's hoping that the new iteration of the most iterative seaside colony ever leaves at least some space for undersea afficianados.

From the parade website:

The Mermaid
Parade celebrates the sand, the sea, the salt air and the beginning of
summer, as well as the history and mythology of Coney Island, Coney Island
pride, and artistic self-expression. The Parade is characterized by participants
dressed in hand-made costumes as Mermaids, Neptunes, various sea creatures,
the occasional wandering lighthouse, Coney Island post card or amusement
ride, as well as antique cars, marching bands, drill teams, and the odd
yacht pulled on flatbed.

A NowPublic account from 2005

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Kaitlin

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 14:27 on June 19th, 2007

kate, thanks for posting this. The saddest thing to me personally is that I never made it to Coney Island when I was living in New York. I was always thinking next time...next time...

And now there won't be a next time. *Sigh*

Coney

at 18:17 on June 19th, 2007

Noooo!!! It's not true!

The parade is certainly NOT stopping any time soon. We're only just beginning, and we'll have 25 more years. We're Coney Island USA, the nonprofit that runs the parade, ths sideshow, the museum, films, burlesque, etc., and we're buying the building we currently occupy!! We'll be around for a long long time.

Please tell everyone. THIS IS NOT THE LAST PARADE. Not even close!

For more details, http://www.coneyisland.com/mermaid_2007_info.shtml

AND, please come to the Mermaid Parade Ball the evening of the parade. It's being held in a historic building that's actually being resurrected. So we're gaining a venue instead of losing one.

AND, Coney Island as a whole is also not so endangered as all that. There are a lot of things going on, but many of the important pieces are safe: the Cyclone, the Wonder Wheel, the Parachute Jump, CIUSA, a lot of rides. We're going to miss Astroland, but if you tell people Coney Island is going to be "gone" next year, you'll only contribute to the damage.

osde.info

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 21:20 on June 19th, 2007

kate, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Victoria Revay

at 05:57 on June 20th, 2007

Coney Island's been in the news lately...

Brian Kennedy 3

at 06:20 on June 20th, 2007

And don't forget the Mermaid Parade Ball immediately afterward! I'll be there with bells on (figuratively)

Jordan Yerman

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 07:34 on June 20th, 2007

kate, thanks for the reassurance. I love Mermaid Parade. If you've never seen Coney Island, this is the day to check it out: people dress as fish and assorted sea-things with no other real agenda, and there are muscle-cars and amusement park rides and friendly people and food and drink and music and a beach... all things that make America great!