Every culture has its own way of bringing in the summer and New Yorkers have their own special way of celebrating the surf and sand all its inhabitants. Outside of the Halloween parade in the Village, this is the wildest and zaniest expression of art, costume, dance. This year’s 30th anniversary of the second coming of the Mermaid Parade was by far one of the best in recent years. The Mermaid Parade pays homage to a long but not forgotten Coney Island Mardi Gras parade which lasted from 1903 to 1954. It also keeps the art form of burlesque alive and well and there were many participants shaking their tassels. This unique Coney Island event has been growing in popularity each year. This years celebrity King Neptune, Jackie Martling of Howard Stern fame, and Queen Mermaid, famous actress Annabella Sciorra, ruled over the proceedings.
There’s really nothing formal about the parade except maybe the Mermaid Ball after the parade where the best costume winner is decided and awarded a coveted prize. All costumed marchers perform for the massive crowd until they make their way to the reviewing stand where the judges make notes for creativity and hope they make the cut to be a finalist for the Mermaid Ball. Some of the more notable marchers and also celebrating their 15th entry to the Mermaid Parade is the Hungry March Band. Their group was one of the largest to flap their fins. Of course with todays fascination with the walking dead, a visit from the zombie mermaids was welcomed by the crowd. It also helped that some burlesque dancers shook their tassels. One of the better choreographed performances came from the angels and shedevils doing battle but the prize definitely went to the Mermagedon group of dancers with their human sacrifice dance. They rocked out. Probably the best surprise came from the Emporer Norton’s Stationary Band. They played original tunes that kept the crowd rocking. This was their first year at the parade and hopefully not their last. A parade of this kind wouldn’t be the same without the Occupy Wall Street crowd even though some defectors were seen carrying Occupy Atlantis signs. NYC nightclub crowds got into the act with their cool sea mushroom cap carts. Some mermaids were seen chilling on some champagne on the lounge chairs in the back. Celebrating a large milestone was the 85th birthday of the world-famous Cyclone rollercoaster and if you’ve never been on it keep your caps on because it will fly off on the first turn. The tens of thousands that turned out for this years celebration of summer were treated to one of the better parades of the year.
TIME FOR SUMMER FUN!!!!
NYC Parade Life 