Discover the history of Coney Island’s Mermaid Parade, America’s largest art parade, where outrageous costumes, creativity, and a century-old tradition collide.
Coney Island might be the most unique and fascinating corner of New York City—it is the birthplace of the hot dog, the location of the first roller coaster in the United States, and today hosts the Mermaid Parade, which for the past 40 years has been the largest art parade in the country and continues the traditions of Coney Island that started in the early 1900s.
Despite the family-friendly atmosphere of the amusement park, there has always been an undercurrent of subversion that could be found on Coney Island’s beaches and boardwalk. Inspired by the Mardi Gras parades that once filled the streets, the Mermaid Parade and Coney Island itself elicit a sideshow vibe, where the quirky and bizarre are put on display for gawking spectators, and tap into themes of repression that date all the way back to Victorian England. The parade encourages self-expression and creativity within aquatic and mythological themes, though they have a tendency to veer off into new directions.
Coney Island remains one of the few places in America where society’s outsiders, oddballs, and creatives are not only accepted but celebrated—a defining part of the neighborhood’s identity. Today, the Mermaid Parade is an inclusive event that welcomes everybody who wants to join in this act of whimsical rebellion as long as they are in costume. The marchers and the spectators span ages, cultures, and all walks of life, making the Mermaid Parade a day of people-watching that is unrivaled in the city.
Watch the video to see highlights from this year’s Mermaid Parade.