Mermaid Parade 2018

This was my fourth Coney Island Mermaid parade in five years of living in New York. It's something I look forward to every year and I put it on my calendar as soon as the date is announced. I can't remember why I missed 2015—maybe the weather wasn't great—but this year the weather way perfect and the boardwalk was packed. 

This was definitely the most crowded Mermaid Parade in recent memory, although we were able to get a front row spot on the boardwalk without getting there too early. Since this is a parade, there was inevitably a point where someone tried to squeeze their toddler (and themselves) next to us and I've been to enough parades to give this advice to anyone thinking of doing the same: don't. I understand kids are small and can't see over adults but having a toddler is not a free pass to be an inconsiderate asshole.

I've been attending events like this in New York long enough to start recognizing people (and animals). There are people who change it up every year, people who wear the same costumes and there are also those people that you see at every New York event in the same costume, regardless of theme—the MetroCard man, the wizard, etc.

I'm blown away by the joy and creativity that the Mermaid Parade attracts every year. Most parades are overrun with corporations or politicians pushing their agenda—the only agenda on display in Coney Island is fun. Ok, maybe that's not entirely true—current events-inspired costumes like Ruth Wader Finsburg fighting for "seaquality for all" and "reel justice" have been increasing in frequency the last couple years.

The grand marshals of the parade this year were the writer Neil Gaiman and his wife, The Dresden Dolls' Amanda Palmer (along with their young son). I will say that I'm still surprised each year at how long the parade is—I don't normally stay to see the end. The pacing of the parade also seemed to be off this year with huge gaps in between marchers. It was so bad that the crowd kept thinning as people mistakenly thought the parade had ended in between breaks.

Every year I say that the next might be the year in which I am no longer just a spectator, but an active participant in the parade, but I think next year really might be my year. I'm planning on taking my Coney Island-themed Halloween costume from last year and modifying it slightly to fit with the sea theme—stay tuned!