On Saturday, June 17, hundreds of sea-folk and sea creatures of all ages flooded Surf Avenue and the Coney Island boardwalk for the 41st annual Parade of Mermaids. Produced by the Coney Island USA Community Arts Association with support from the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), the event has been a South Brooklyn tradition since 1983 to mark the start of the summer swimming season. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the parade took a two-year hiatus, resuming last year awaiting dedicated locals and newcomers.
A tribute to Coney Island’s previous Mardi Gras parade that ran annually from 1903 to 1954, the Mermaid Parade is known for its elaborate costumes, which range from sexy to bizarre, but all relate in a somehow to the sea theme of the parade (although some are definitely a stretch).
This weekend’s event started at West 21st Street and Surf Avenue, then looped around West 10th Street, where attendees took the boardwalk. The parade finally ended on the beach with a brief but powerful rainstorm that soaked everyone, making the water costumes even more authentic.
From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., the rides at Coney Island Amusement Park were mostly empty except for a few thrill seekers (a rare occurrence for the iconic seaside neighborhood), as the streets and boardwalk were used instead of main attractions. For hours, groups of half-naked dancers, musicians and other performers dressed in ocean-inspired costumes partied down Surf Avenue and then onto the Coney Island boardwalk, to rapturous cheers and applause. parade spectators.
Even controversial DCLA Commissioner Laurie Cumbo joined the seaside spectacle as this year’s ceremonial ‘queen’, riding a parade float alongside her son. (The “King Neptune” role went to Bronx rapper and music producer Kool Keith, though he was nowhere to be found. Hyperallergic contacted the New York artist for comment.)
“This [year’s event] was a complete representation of what freedom looks like. To be free to be what you want, to do what you want, to dress how you want, without worrying about whether people agree or not,” said Jocelin Williams, participant in the parade. Hyperallergic.
Williams, a professional makeup artist and hairstylist who has lived in Brooklyn for 15 years, said she spent “two hours a day for two weeks” putting together her brightly colored costume for the show, which she started attending in 2022 .
“I loved the ending when all the participants and spectators were taking pictures,” Williams said. “My favorite part was the line dance my group did with our group in front of the judges.”
Brianna Wanlass, who also wowed the crowds with her head-to-toe navy suit, said Hyperallergic that she likes to see the happy faces of the parades.
“They get such pleasure out of it and nothing makes me smile like seeing parents with their children light up in pure delight at the sight of us,” Wanlass said. “To bring people that joy is where it is.”
Originally from Mountain View, Calif., Wanlass and her husband moved to Brooklyn in 2009. After her friends encouraged her to take part in a parade in 2013, she said she was “hooked” ever since and that she participated in six of the events. She said she started working on her outfit in 2020 at the start of the pandemic, initially thinking the hiatus wouldn’t last long.
“Obviously we all know what happened and the pandemic has dragged on, canceling events left and right, including the Mermaid Parade for two years!” Wanlass explained. “Then, in 2022, his return was announced but I had to attend a wedding on that date. I knew nothing would stop me from walking this year, so I resumed work on my costume around February 2023.”
She said her costume was inspired by “a love of vintage glamor and whimsy”.
“Being a curvy girl and a fan of movie stars and sex symbols from Hollywood’s Golden Age, like Marylin Monroe, I wanted my dress to shine and fit like a glove,” Wanlass said.
This year’s parade was particularly important given the recent reboot of Disney’s The little Mermaid (1989), which featured a black lead for the first time as Ariel, played by Halle Bailey. All around this year’s parade, young and old alike donned The little Mermaid memories on the occasion of the revival of the film. New Netflix docu-series SeaPeoplewhich debuted this year, may also contribute to an increased sense of sea-mania.
See more photos from the 41st Annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade below.
