mermaid2001

The start of the summer in Brooklyn always brings the Coney Island Mermaid Parade, Brooklyn's own version of Mardi Gras featuring classic cars, dancing neptunes and mermaids and a whole lot of good clean debauchery!

It's the greatest parade in NYC all year, but resolutely the most underpublicized and chronicled--except here in Forgotten NY and other areas we'll mention later.

This year's official King Neptune was boxing champ Hector (Macho) Camacho Jr., who, not coincidentally, would be boxing in a match the following Saturday at Keyspan Park.

This year's parade marked a couple of firsts in that it was the first to be based in Coney Island's brand spanking new Keyspan Park, home of the Brooklyn Cyclones, a New York Mets Class A farm team. Professional baseball has come back to Brooklyn for the first time since 1957.

from coneyislandusa.com

This year also featured the first Mermaid Parade wedding, as Coney Island USA artistic director, master of Sideshows By the Seashore, and Mermaid Parade creator Dick Zigun did the honors, pronouncing the above couple Mr. and Mrs. Neptune and Mermaid.

Keyspan's giant parking lot was a panoply of color and pageantry as parade participants assembled prior to marching around the ballpark warning track (occasionally taking care to avoid the newly-planted field).

This year the judges moved from the prior reviewing stand on Surf Avenue near Stillwell to behind home plate. As usual, nothing was prohibited in efforts to bribe, er, sway judges into voting best of show in various categories.

And a little child shall lead them, as mermaids prepare to enter the park.

Pink and black is always a fashionable combination.

Proudly waving her tinsel banner high.

Ova of the world beware, because the Spermaids have arrived.

Who knows what 'deviltry' these comely maidens may be planning.

Your webmaster's personal favorite, the Mermones, a tribute to the late great Joey Ramone (1951-2001)

Rubber fish ,and other objects made of rubber, are quite popular at the Mermaid Parade year in and year out.

As we bid farewell to the mermaids for another year, remember that the fundamental things apply and a kiss is still a kiss.

Some busking jailbirds tune up prior to the march. Actually every float and act had an official name but we didn't get a list.

Once again we're going to call on Name That Car fans to ID the various classic cars captured herein.

Convertibles full ot hot babes are among the Mermaid Parade's top drawing cards.

The Mermaid Parade is clothing optional.

Mounted mermaids

Heading for the judges.

As in previous years, the Mermaid Parade moved up Surf Avenue up to about the Aquarium, and then master of ceremonies Dick Zigun and this year's King Neptune plunged into the Atlantic, pronouncing the ocean open for the summer. But that was far from the end of the fun.

Paraders and paradegoers alike mixed and mingled on the boardwalk after the parade...

A few tattoos will really draw a crowd. Of course it's where the tattoos are displayed that really draws the crowds.

You know, New York City women don't dress like this ALL the time.