Lavish Rebellion [DOT COM]

In all my years of visiting and living in New York, I never observed the Mermaid Parade in Brooklyn’s Coney Island!

Now we know Coney Island is home to the iconic amusement park, Luna Park! I still have my memories of first visiting when I was kid, back in the mid-90s. And even then, I knew how legendary it was! I felt very in-the-know and it was all-around just so much fun! I’m so thankful I got to visit back then. Especially in a pre-9/11 world.

Now living in New York, Coney Island feels like a drag to get to, if you don’t live in Brooklyn. And even so, I’ve heard Brooklynites groan if they have to go the region because it’s all the way on the bottom of the borough. But honestly, the train really does get you there in decent time even if you’re coming from uptown, like me. And it’s so lovely the closer you get to the amusement park, seeing the landscape from the train above.

Now, the Mermaid Parade has been ongoing for over forty years; first starting in 1983! It’s a light-hearted parade that honors the start of summer with costumes and kookiness, with an emphasis on sea creatures, real and mystical, of course!

The energy was great! And while it was hell on earth trying to get to the boardwalk and Luna Park (it was a madhouse of a crowd),it was smooth sailing once out. Inside Lunar Park, I got a kick out of people-watching the amusement park-goers on the rides!

I had a great time at Luna Park and it’s so wonderful that traditions like the Mermaid Parade are still here! Throughout the years, the organization Coney Island USA has experienced trouble, sometimes, in raising funds for the parade. But more often than not, things come together with community fund-raising often saving the day, like in 2013.

Besides, how about the good ol’ freaks come out in the daytime instead of night for once! We need to see and feel the fits better!