I have attended the annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade in 2006 and 2007, but I would always miss the start of summer ritual. This is easy to miss, given all of the festivities and the lack of itemized agenda. The Mermaid Parade, this year on Saturday, June 20, is a celebration ushering in the summer season.

The ribbon cutting ceremony is an unannounced event occurring after the parade’s completion. I always assumed it took place first. Wandering in the parade’s aftermath along 10th street (abutting the Cyclone), I fortuitously bumped into the small procession headed to the beach led by Harvey Keitel playing King Neptune (seen in the center of the photo), Queen Mermaid, bearers of fruit, a small entourage of followers, photographers, and security. Excited by my good fortune, I quickly joined the party.

Four ribbons, each symbolizing a season, are set up and cut in sequence – Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Summer. The final cutting of the Summer ribbon starts the season. Baskets of fruit are thrown into the ocean to appease the gods. A mechanical thermometer was placed in the ocean showing a rise in temperature of 110 degrees. The hearty members in the crowd entered the ocean, a particularly daunting task this year – Saturday’s weather was uncooperative, cool, and raining on and off all day. The previous two years were bright and sunny. From a photographer’s perspective, however, cloudy days actually provide better lighting conditions – harsh shadows are greatly reduced and colors really pop.

But the Parade and festivities for this event march on, rain or shine – neither summer solstice nor Mermaids are not daunted by a little rain 🙂

NOTE: Tomorrow I will feature the parade itself with a full gallery of photos and video.

Related Posts: Mermaid Parade 2006, Mermaid Parade 2007