The Coney Island Mermaid Parade, which had faced an uncertain future due to funding issues, is set to return on Saturday, June 20, organizers said Monday.
Crowdfunded donations and money from the Brooklyn borough president’s office helped keep this year’s event afloat, according to Adam Rinn, the artistic director of Coney Island USA, the nonprofit that produces the parade.
What You Need To Know
The Coney Island Mermaid Parade is set to return on Saturday, June 20, organizers said Monday
In March, organizers said the event was facing an “urgent financial crisis,” adding that it might “disappear” without monetary support
Organizers said crowdfunded donations and money from the Brooklyn borough president’s office helped keep this year’s event afloat
“At this point we can really focus on staging the most colorfully spectacular parade and the incredible royalty that will lead us into the summer season,” Rinn said.
The Mermaid Parade is one of the country’s largest art parades, dating back to 1983, when it was created to pay tribute to Coney Island’s historic Mardi Gras celebrations.
In March, Coney Island USA said the event was facing an “urgent financial crisis,” adding that it might “disappear” without monetary support.
A GoFundMe page set up to support the parade subsequently raised more than $41,000.
This year’s parade will be led by musicians Jesse Malin and Rickie Lee Jones, Coney Island USA said in a release.