NEW YORK — Coney Island is always a spectacle. And then there’s the “Mermaid Parade” each June, a day when self-proclaimed Coney Island “fans” set the standard for the rest of the year in fantasy and imagination.
“It’s the day when all the weirdos show up to try to impress all the other weirdos,” said Joe Hobaica, 56, who hasn’t missed the parade since 1989.
Despite a heat warning that would prevail through Sunday, more than 200,000 people gathered yesterday under a slightly cloudy sky in southern Brooklyn, according to the parade organizers, as reported by the “USA Today” website.
“Life is too serious,” said Marta Berk, 38, who dressed as a mermaid with rhinestones on her face and a bright pink wig.
The history behind the parade, which has been held since 1983, also holds spiritual significance for many.
The more serious and dedicated mermaids who attend plan their extravagant costumes around a certain annual theme and see the event as a time to express themselves to the fullest.
“This is our big holy day and we’ve taken it to another level,” said the 2024 parade’s mermaid queen, Whitney Ward, who hasn’t missed the event for the past 30 years. “Even though the parade only lasts for this one day, it literally consumes our entire year,” said Ward, 60, explaining how designers work on her costumes for months.
Iridescent fish scales, fantastical monster puppets and imaginary underwater creatures come to life on Coney Island’s Surf Avenue, making guests feel as if they are in a dreamlike seascape far removed from reality.
The Mermaid Parade has been taking place for more than 40 years, so it is as much a part of Coney Island history as many other famous landmarks.— USA Today
Kings Entourage
The parade began with this year’s official King Neptune and Queen Mermaid.
Artists
The monarchs are husband-and-wife New York artists Joe Coleman and Whitney Ward. Their entourage included mermaids, ship captains, pirates and people dressed as various forms of marine life.
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2024-07-06 10:02:11
