2003 MERMAID PARADE PHOTO GALLERY

21st ANNIVERSARY MERMAID PARADE A SUCCESS! RAIN UNABLE TO STOP REVELRY.
Despite threats of inclement weather, thousands of mermaids, neptunes, sea creatures, antique cars and other oddities flooded Surf Avenue on June 21, 2003 triumphing against the elements and all odds, in celebration of the beginning of summer, the opening of the swimming season, and the 21st Mermaid Parade. Participants lined up at West 10th Street by the Cyclone, headed down the Boardwalk to West 16th Street where they turned towards Surf and passed Peggy O'Neill's. The motorized floats and antique cars then joined the parade, which headed down Surf back towards the Cyclone and the reviewing stand. In all, about 200 units marched, rolled, surfed and swam the parade route.

Hosted in fine fashion by longtime Voices of the Mermaid Parade, Chris T (of WFMU radio), and Man-on-the-Street, Kay Sera, the parade started promptly at 2 PM with Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, looking resplendent in Daffy Duck t-shirt, leading the procession, accompanied by our own Permanently Unelected Mayor of Coney Island, and Mermaid Parade founder, Dick Zigun.

King and Queen, WABC-TV Channel 7 weatherman, Bill Evans, and Miss Rheingold 2003, Kate Duyn, reigned (or "rained" as the case may be) magnanimously and bestowed blessings upon the crowd; regrettably, even the presence of a weatherman could not hold off the elements, and midway through the parade, it started to pour.  When asked if the torrent would stop, our good King tersely replied, "No," and the procession to the beach was cancelled by alarmed Parks Department personnel, due to lighting strikes.

However, as we all know, mermaids, neptunes and other sea creatures are undaunted by monsoon-like conditions, and everyone in attendance had an excellent, although somewhat wet, time. Highlights of the parade included the Topsy's Resurrection float, the St. Atlantis Hospital Nurses, and the Camden Sophisticated Sisters Drill team, which delighted the crowd, not once, but twice.

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New Addition a Success!
This year also featured the First Annual Mermaid Parade Ball, attended by parade spectators and costumed marchers alike.  The Ball, which took place at Peggy O'Neill's in Keyspan Park, was ably MCd by Jennifer Upchurch and featured performances by many of Coney Island's favorite performers, including Tyler Fyre, Magic Brian, Remy Vicious, Jo Boobs, Little Brooklyn, and others. Music was provided by DJs Cloud People, T.G., Outlaw, and Anwar, and the night finished up with a show by Vic Thrill.  All in all a stupendous evening.

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