The annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade returned this weekend, bringing colourful and vibrant costumes to the New York City neighbourhood for one of the year's quirkiest celebrations.
The parade saw about 3000 people dressed as mermaids, pirates, sea creatures and more strut down the streets. Described as the country’s largest “art parade”, the event was founded back in 1983 with the goal of letting artistic New Yorkers express themselves in public. As local streets also boast names like Mermaid and Neptune, it’s also designed to bringthat mythology to life for local residents.
Each year, the procession is led by the Queen Mermaid and King Neptune, who were this year embodied by the musician Amanda Palmer and her husband, writer Neil Gaiman.
