On
Saturday 23 June 2012, an estimated 500,000 people flocked to Coney Island, the
tiny peninsula in southern Brooklyn, to watch the 30th annual Mermaid
Parade.
Every year, King Neptune and Queen Mermaid
lead a procession of sea creatures and ocean-inspired floats along Surf
Street to the boardwalk that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. An unusual event (even by New York
standards!), the Mermaid Parade was established in 1982 to attract people back
to Coney Island, and to breathe life back into what had become a run-down,
crime-ridden seaside precinct.
The
Mermaid Parade is now the largest art parade in the United States and not only heralds
the official start of summer, but it also celebrates the history of Coney
Island its vibrant community spirit.
In
the three decades since the Parade began, Coney Island has regained its visitor
appeal. The swimming beach, boardwalk
and amusement park are hugely popular in the warmer months; but year-round,
Coney Island is the home of the New York Aquarium, the Brooklyn Cyclones minor
league baseball team, and a number of sporting and cultural events for people
of all ages.
