The Mermaid Parade 2025: Coney Island’s Crown Jewel of Creativity, Culture, and Community

Khoshnaw Rahmani, Jadetimes Staff

K. Rahmani is a Jadetimes news reporter covering culture.

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Image Source: Eduardo Munoz

43rd Annual Spectacle Surges Back

On Saturday, June 21, 2025, Coney Island’s legendary Mermaid Parade returned in full force. Over 30,000 spectators lined Surf Avenue and the Boardwalk as 300 costumed groups—and thousands of solo participants—marched east from West 21st Street to West 10th Street, then south along the iconic Boardwalk, finally gathering at Steeplechase Plaza. Under the banner “Coney Island Forever,” thousands of hand-crafted, sea-inspired creations swept past—LED-lit jellyfish, papier-mâché cephalopods, and neon sirens—uniting art, protest, and communal joy in a single, unforgettable tide.

Origins & Early Years: 1983–1990

• Founder & Vision: In 1983, performance artist Dick Zigun (“Mayor of Coney Island”) launched the parade through his nonprofit, Coney Island USA, to revive the neighborhood’s creative spirit after decades of decline.

• First Parade: Roughly 3,000 participants in DIY merfolk garb—no floats, no sponsors—wound down Surf Avenue under the watchful gaze of Neptune.

• Growth by 1990: Community groups, schools, and artists from Brooklyn and Queens joined, doubling participation. Costumes grew more elaborate: fiberglass wave-bikes, giant shimmering manta rays, and towering sea-witch puppets.

  
  

Decades of Evolution, Challenge & Resilience

• 1992–1999: Photographer Elaine Norman’s iconic images in The New York Times and Life magazine showcased the parade’s blend of sexuality, satire, and activism, cementing its status as America’s largest art parade.

• 2006 Post-Sandy Revival: After Hurricane Sandy’s devastation, organizers launched a Kickstarter, raising $117,000—17% above goal—to rebuild floats, repair the Boardwalk, and ensure the 2006 parade marched on.

• 2010s: Expansion of youth outreach programs—“Mermaid Makers” workshops in public schools—introduced costume design and marine ecology education to thousands of students.

• 2020–2021: COVID closures forced a virtual “Tail-a-Thon” and two cancellations, the only interruptions in four decades. In 2022, the parade returned stronger with hybrid floats (solar-powered LEDs) and tightened crowd-management protocols.

  
  

Crowned Royalty: Neptune & Mermaid Honorees

Every year, Coney Island USA appoints a celebrity King Neptune and Queen Mermaid, paraded in a 1923 wicker coach. Memorable pairs include:

• Laurie Anderson & Lou Reed (2010)

• Queen Latifah (1999)

• Harvey Keitel & Daphne Keitel (2009)

• Eugene Hütz (Gogol Bordello) & performance artist Queenie Sateen (2025)

• St. Vincent & Elliot Page (as eco-queens in past editions)

These figures amplify the parade’s reach—drawing press from Vogue, Rolling Stone, and global travel blogs.

The 2025 Parade in Full Color

Themes & Activism

• “Coney Island Forever”: A rallying cry against proposed casino developments and aggressive gentrification.

• Climate Justice: Floats depicting polar bears on melting ice, puppeteered by youth activists. Banners reading “No Ocean, No Us” and “Boardwalks vs. Bulldozers.”

Costumes & Creativity

• Bioluminescent Marvels: Over 70 LED-infused ensembles—jellyfish umbrellas, glow-in-the-dark krakens, and submersible diver helmets wired for light shows.

• Eco-Materials: 60% of outfits made from recycled plastics, fishing nets, and biodegradable fabrics.

Music & Performance

• Live Soundscape: Brooklyn brass bands (Belle & Sebastian Marching Band), synth-pop mermaid choirs (Sea Sirens Collective), and steel-drum trios (Coney Island Calypso).

• Drag Acts & Dance: Houses such as House of LaBeija choreographed sea-lion vogue battles; local breakdancers “surfed” handrails.

Celebrity & VIP Engagement

• Celebrity Judges: Actress Rebecca Hall judged the “Best Sea Witch” category; chef Missy Robbins curated a pop-up seafood stall honoring sustainable fisheries.

• VIP Viewing Deck: Sponsored by Brooklyn Brewery, featuring craft mermaid-themed IPAs and ocean-friendly cocktails.

Visual Culture & Media Coverage

• Volunteer Photographers: Over 150 accredited shooters from NYC Photo League documented every float and fringe.

• Social Media Frenzy: Instagram Stories featuring #MermaidParade2025 hit 12 million views within 24 hours. TikTok dances inspired by marching performers trended globally.

• Documentaries: Filmmaker Marilyn Fried premiered her new short, Tides of Chance, at the Museum of the Moving Image, featuring behind-the-scenes artisans.

Behind the Scenes: Organizing Coney Island’s Most Chaotic Carnival

• Planning Cycle: 12 months of community meetings, permit applications (NYC DOT, NYPD, Parks Dept.), and design workshops at 1208 Surf Avenue headquarters.

• Volunteer Army: 500+ volunteers—carpenters, seamstresses, electricians—log 10,000 combined hours building mechanized floats and safety barriers.

• Safety & Logistics: Coordination with FDNY for first-aid tents, NYPD for crowd control, DOT for street closures, and Sanitation Dept. for post-parade cleanup.

Economic, Social & Cultural Impact

• Local Economy: Businesses report a 15–20% revenue surge on parade weekend—restaurants, bars, amusement rides, and beach rentals.

• Job Creation: Seasonal hires spike by 8% in hospitality and retail.

• Cultural Tourism: Airbnb occupancy in Coney Island zip codes reached 98%, with average daily rates up 25%.

• Community Pride: Annual surveys by Coney Island USA show 90% of residents believe the parade boosts neighborhood morale.

Festive Cousins: Global Parade Comparisons

Festival	Location	Scale & Spirit	Key Similarities
Mardi Gras	New Orleans, USA	1.4 million participants; krewe ball tradition	DIY floats, masked processions, satire
Notting Hill Carnival	London, UK	2 million attendees; Afro-Caribbean heritage	Street bands, cultural empowerment
Village Halloween Parade	New York, USA	50,000 marchers; giant puppets on Sixth Ave	Creative self-expression, volunteer-driven
West Indian American Day Carnival	Brooklyn, USA	3 million spectators; feathered mas bands	Community unity, Caribbean rhythms
Venice Regent Festival	Venice, Italy	10,000 masked participants; Baroque pageantry	Historical costumes, water themes

While each event shares communal creation and performative rebellion, Coney Island’s Mermaid Parade stands out for its sustainable DIY ethos, year-round educational outreach, and ocean-centric activism.

Timeline: Mermaid Parade Milestones

Year	Milestone
1983	Inaugural parade launched by Dick Zigun; 3,000 participants
1986	Neptune’s throne (1923 wicker coach) introduced
1990	Participation triples; live coverage on local TV
1999	Queen Latifah reigns; festival gains national pop-culture prominence
2006	Post-Sandy Kickstarter raises $117,000 for revival
2010	Laurie Anderson & Lou Reed served as honorary royalty
2017	“Mermaid Makers” youth workshops begin
2019	Arlo & Nora Guthrie honored; focus on folk traditions
2020–21	Virtual Tail-a-Thon; back-to-back cancellations due to pandemic
2022	Full in-person return with safety protocols
2023	Eco-materials mandate introduced (50% upcycled content)
2024	Whitney Ward crowned Queen Mermaid; parade attendance rebounds to 28,000
2025	Eugene Hütz & Queenie Sateen lead under “Coney Island Forever” theme

The Road Ahead: Sustaining Coney Island’s Legacy

As coastal threats loom—rising sea levels, increased storm intensity—organizers plan to:

1.    Year-Round Art Studios: Expand Coney Island USA’s headquarters into community workshops on marine art and climate science.

2.    Marine Education Pods: Partner with NYU Marine Science Lab to host interactive installations on Boardwalk.

3.    Resilience Festivals: Launch a winter “Ice Mermaid” event to draw tourism off-season and fund shoreline reinforcement.

4.    Local Policy Advocacy: Collaborate with Brooklyn Borough President and NYC Council to protect public beachfront from corporate overreach.

Why the Mermaid Parade Matters

Over four decades, the Coney Island Mermaid Parade has evolved from a quirky local spectacle into a global cultural phenomenon—an ecstatic, subversive, and fiercely community-driven rite. It champions self-expression, environmental stewardship, and celebration of the marginalized, all while fueling the local economy and preserving the gritty soul of Coney Island.

As summer marches on, the Mermaid Parade remains a living testament to the power of art, activism, and collective imagination—proof that, in a world of curated perfection, sometimes magic is made by chaos.

Whether you’re a costume crafter, a beachgoer, or a wandering spirit yearning for carnival’s call, Coney Island’s Mermaid Parade offers one irrefutable truth: we are all merfolk under the waves of our shared humanity.