Culture News

Photo of the Day: Mermaid Parade at Coney Island

By Laura Smith June 24, 2012

Themes can be tricky things; interpreted as an underlying direction rather than a strict set of guidelines. That probably explains the myriad of creatures that appear each year in the Mermaid Parade at Coney Island in New York.

This maritime Mardi Gras, started out as an homage to the Mardi Gras celebrated on the very same boardwalk from 1903 to 1954. Just like its Southern counterpart, this avant-garde parade celebrates diversity and the ultimate form of peacocking. This pair of flamingos taken at this year's parade by Mary Altaffer, may not fall under the nautical theme, but they've captured the spirit of the event, which takes place during Gay Pride Week in New York.

 

 

TAGS: Gay, history, New York, parade, Photography,