A Personal History of the Mermaid Parade

Larry Racioppo

According to Wikipedia, Coney Island’s first Mermaid Parade took place in 1983, and it is now the largest art parade in the United States, attracting over 3,000 participants and hundreds of thousands of spectators.

Hours before the Parade’s start, the audience begins lining up behind police barricades along Surf Avenue. Spectators and costumed participants ride the subway to the recently renovated Stillwell Avenue stop.

Stillwell Avenue subway station, 2015
Stillwell Avenue subway station, 2015
Mermaid on the subway, 2015
Mermaid on the subway, 2015

Coney Island USA, founded by Dick Zigun, sponsors the parade annually on or near June 21st, the date of the Summer Solstice. From the group’s website:

"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."

The Mermaid Parade in 1992, the first year I attended, was still a relatively small, local event; its founders still in the process of building an audience. I parked my car a few blocks from Surf Avenue and walked toward the Parachute Jump. In the adjacent empty field Parade participants were finishing preparations for their costumes and floats. What a visual feast for a photographer!

Mermaid and bubbles, 1992
Mermaid and bubbles, 1992
Birth of Venus float, 1992
Birth of Venus float, 1992

I walked around taking pictures for an hour or so, and just as I came upon the ‘Birth of Venus’ float, a light rain began to fall. The parade soon started, and viewers cheered as the marchers strolled and strutted happily along Surf Avenue.

Marcher in the rain, 1992
Marcher in the rain, 1992

Photographer Elaine Norman discovered the Parade in 1985 by chance while visiting the used clothing shops along Surf Avenue. “ I saw people in strange costumes and went outside to find out what they were doing. I took a few photos then, and soon started coming every year.” The Museum of the City of New York exhibited Elaine’s hand-colored black and white Mermaid Parade photographs in the mid-1990’s. You can see them on her website.

Like Elaine I thought that the Parade was fantastic. I returned in 1993 and for many years thereafter. I was fascinated by the beauty and ingenuity of the Parade’s participants, and enjoyed the strange mix of sexuality, showmanship, and topical political messaging expressed in both individual costumes and group floats.

Pirate with knife, 1996
Pirate with knife, 1996
Mermaid and child on the boardwalk, 1995
Mermaid and child on the boardwalk, 1995
Mermaids form Hell, 1994
Mermaids from Hell, 1994
Can Man, 1997
Can Man, 1997

One of my all-time favorites is the young man who marched tied into an oil-covered boat, while sipping cans of Budweiser. He was portraying Captain Joseph Hazelwood, then considered guilty of piloting the Exxon Valdez – and causing a huge oil spill – while drunk.

Captain of the Exxon Valdez, 1994
Captain of the Exxon Valdez, 1994

Eventually the Mermaid Parade became a mecca for photographers. The costumed participants were not only great subjects; they were willing subjects. No one asked the question dreaded by street photographers everywhere: “ Why did you take my picture?” Voyeurs and exhibitionists mingled happily. In a recent telephone conversation, Don Burmeister, founder and director of Brooklyn’s SAFE-T-GALLERY (2002 – 2010) told me that every NYC photographer who brought work to his Gallery had a Coney Island portfolio, with a large number of Mermaid Parade images. He knew why: “Coney Island is easy for photographers because people want to be photographed.”

Photo Creatures, 2011
Photo Creatures, 2011
Super Power Mermaids, 2015
Super Power Mermaids, 2015

Sometimes Mermaids photographed and costumed photographers marched.

Mermaid with a camera, shells, and beads, 1996
Mermaid with a camera, shells, and beads, 1996
Marchers with homemade large cameras, 2011
Marchers with homemade large cameras, 2011

I liked to watch the actual parade – especially when it was smaller and took place on the boardwalk.

Mermaids with Hula Hoops, 2007
Mermaids with Hula Hoops, 2007

But I really loved it when the parade ended and participants went down to the water to cool off. Beach goers, who had no knowledge of the Mermaid Parade, watched with curiosity or cheered playfully as costumed and painted characters passed their blankets. Children and teenagers often joined them, taking photos along the way and in the ocean.

Mexican musicians and mermaids with yellow duck tubes, 2007
Mexican musicians and mermaids with yellow duck tubes, 2007
Two headed man and friends, 2000
Two headed man and friends, 2000
Silver mermaid in the water, 2002
Silver mermaid in the water, 2002
Taking a photo with Neptune, 2011
Taking a photo with Neptune, 2011

I do not remember the first year this happened, but gradually the sound of tubas, horns and drums reached me at the shore. As the sound got louder, I turned to see members of the Hungry March Band - with their instruments - coming straight into the ocean!

The Hungry March Band, 2001
The Hungry March Band, 2001
Devil, Vikings and photographers in the water, 2004
Devil, Vikings and photographers in the water, 2004
Dancers and musicians at the water’s edge, 2011
Dancers and musicians at the water’s edge, 2011
Another devil and more dancers, 2011
Another devil and more dancers, 2011

I thought that this revelry was the highlight of the day. But there was more to come. Each year the newly crowned King Neptune and Queen Mermaid marched from the Parade’s official viewing stand to the ocean. In their path were red ribbons for each season, from Winter to Summer, to be cut on the way to the official warming of the water.

Woman holding ‘Summer’ banner, 2007
Woman holding ‘Summer’ banner, 2007
Woman with banner surrounded by photographers, 2006
Woman with banner surrounded by photographers, 2006

Surrounded by sea creatures of every type, kids and photographers, Dick Zigun stirred the waters with a large key while a special thermometer registered the rising temperature.

Dick Zigun warming the ocean, 1996
Dick Zigun warming the ocean, 1996

Over time Coney Island USA added elements of West African water festivals to the Parade’s conclusion, including ritual offering of fruit to the ocean waters.

Beginning of the water ritual, 2002
Beginning of the water ritual, 2002
Bringing out and releasing the offerings, 1999
Bringing out and releasing the offerings, 1999
Mermaid with a scooped out watermelon, 1997
Mermaid with a scooped out watermelon, 1997

I’ve enjoyed photographing the Mermaid Parade for over 20 years. I’ve traded photos for beads with a generous King Neptune, been blessed by Reverend Billy and always ended my day with a swim. My favorite experience occurred in 1998 at the water’s edge while I was photographing a tall red-wigged mermaid and her friends. A lifeguard holding a young girl joined us saying to the mermaid “My daughter wants to kiss you. Is that OK?”

Red wigged mermaid and friends, 1998
Red wigged mermaid and friends, 1998
Young girl kissing a mermaid, 1998
Young girl kissing a mermaid, 1998

I love the feeling of openness and connection between the marchers, the parade viewers and the beach goers. It makes me proud to live in such a diverse and creative city.

This year's Mermaid Parade is this Saturday, June 22nd. Find more information about the event on Coney Island USA's website.

 

This blog post reflects the opinions of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of Brooklyn Public Library.

 



Hawley Hussey

Dear Larry, This is so marvelous! I just posted the link to this in my Instagram bio! I want people to read it! Congratulations! Hawley
Wed, Oct 2 2019 10:35 pm Permalink
Norm Borden

5/30/21 Larry, wow, years later, I just saw your history of the parade and it's more meaningful and welcome than ever, given the horror we've all been through. I just learned the post-pandemic parade is scheduled for Sept 12...should be interesting.
Sun, May 30 2021 6:22 am Permalink

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