Coney Island’s Mermaid Parade Makes Waves Again

The 43rd annual Mermaid Parade, the largest art parade in the country, brought a vibrant celebration to Coney Island. People gathered, many donning themed costumes that reflected the tropical spirit of the festivities.

Noela Owen, 53, from Brooklyn, came with her two kids, aged 11 and 12. “It’s a great way to showcase creativity,” she said. The family has participated every year, putting together a marine-themed ensemble by hand. “My kids always go all out, and I decided to be a blue whale this year because, well, the fat jokes seemed fitting,” Owen added with a chuckle.

As the parade commenced at 1 PM, police estimated the crowd quickly grew to around 30,000 participants.

Caroline Northrop, 44, a public school teacher from Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, shared her appreciation for the event as a true “celebration of creativity.” “It’s amazing to see how people continue to express themselves with art, even with everything changing around us,” she remarked, dressed as a “Woodland Enchantress” complete with fake mice.

Victor Gonzalez, a 39-year-old civil engineer from Queens, revealed that he spent a month creating his costume, which resembled a lionfish. “It takes a lot of effort—sewing, structuring the design, and even my makeup,” he explained, mentioning it took him about two and a half hours to get ready that day.

Traditionally, each year, a new King Neptune and Queen Mermaid are crowned during the event. This time, Ukrainian-American vocalist Eugene Hutz, known for his role in the gypsy punk band Gogol Bordello, and Bed-Stuy-based adult film star Queenie Sateen took on these esteemed roles.

Hutz, who moved to New York in 1997, expressed his excitement about finally being able to attend. “Every year, I hear about this big, flashy spectacle, but I’ve always been on tour,” he said. “This year, our schedule allowed me to take part, and I just had to see it for myself.” He seemed genuinely pleased to finally witness the event he had only heard about in the past.

Retired emergency manager Paula Carlson, 47, from Bayridge, chose to dress as a “more modern mermaid” to honor Hutz. “I wanted to show my respect because he’s Ukrainian, and I thought it was fitting to embody Rusalka, a Ukrainian mermaid myth who brings water to the crops,” she explained.