2016 Coney Island Mermaid Parade in NYC

Each year, thousands of spectators flock to Surf Avenue, Coney Island’s main drag, to watch King Neptune and Queen Mermaid lead a procession of beglittered seminude marchers in costumes through the neighborhood. Three thousand marchers and half a million spectators attended to see the celebration of culture and art, which featured floats, marching band and mermaids. 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.

credit: Steven Pisano