Coney Island/ Brighton Beach/ Sheepshead Bay

Pirate de Blasio and the rest of the cast of the 2014 Mermaid Parade

bill de blasio mermaid parade
Mayor de Blasio bravely dressing exactly the way the tabloids have been framing him. Photo by Tim Donnelly

Ah, the Mermaid Parade, where a metropolis’ worth of grit and glitter converge at Coney Island for an afternoon of music, muscle cars, and of course, mermaids. This year’s parade kicked off with Chiara and Dante DeBlasio, looking… rather blue as King Neptune and Queen Mermaid, followed by Mayor Bill d’yarr Blasio decked out as a pirate, plundering a small percentage of wealthy New Yorkers’ income for the benefit of swashbuckling pre-K children. The marchers included everyone from adorable tykes in homemade mermaid tails, to grown adults in little more than body glitter and a few strategically placed seashells. Low-brow and high-energy, The Mermaid Parade offers a glimpse of Coney Island’s freaky past for one afternoon each year, and I can’t think of a better way to kick off the summer.

mermaid parade 2014
Coney’s unofficial mayor Dick Zigun proved a little more popular. Photos by Madelyn Owens
mermaid parade 2014
At least if the marchers following him were to be believed.
mermaid parade 2014
Other folks were there to make a political statement as well. Photos by Madelyn Owens

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mermaid parade 2014

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mermaid parade

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mermaid parade 2014

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mermaid parade 2014

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mermaid parade 2014

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mermaid parade 2014
A peanut butter and jelly fish. Eh? Eh?

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mermaid parade 2014
There were plenty of butts

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mermaid parade 2014
Also there was a guy with a bearded dragon.

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Was there a big gay marching band?

IMG 1798 from Madelyn Owens on Vimeo.

You betcha!

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mermaid parade 2014

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mermaid parade 2014

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mermaid parade 2014

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mermaid parade 2014

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mermaid parade 2014

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mermaid parade 2014

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mermaid parade 2014

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