Load Your Cameras: The Coney Island Mermaid Parade Is Upon Us

It's time for fins on film again: The legendary Coney Island Mermaid Parade is upon us. This year marks the 37th year of Americas largest art parades that celebrate ancient mythologies and honky-tonk rituals of the seaside. With arguably the most creative but certainly the most sparkly costumes, the Mermaid Parade has always been a number-one go-to for photographers and Lomographers in and around New York City.

Mark your calendars: On Saturday, June 22nd it is time to load your cameras with Color Film and dive deep into Brooklyn and Coney Island's magical mermaid world.

The MERMAID PARADE specifically was founded in 1983 with 3 goals: it brings mythology to life for local residents who live on streets named Mermaid and Neptune; it creates self-esteem in a district that is often disregarded as “entertainment”; and it lets artistic New Yorkers find self-expression in public. Unlike most parades, this one has no ethnic, religious, or commercial aims. It’s a major New York holiday invented by artists! An American version of the summer-solstice celebration, it takes pride of place with West African Water Festivals and Ancient Greek and Roman street theater. It features participants dressed in hand-made costumes based on themes and categories set by us. This creates an artistic framework on which artists can improvise, resulting in the flourishing of frivolity, dedication, pride, and personal vision that has become how New York celebrates summer.
Coney Island USA

When: Saturday, June 22nd
Where: Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY; Start: West 21st Street and Surf Avenue

written by birgitbuchart on 2019-06-02 #culture #places