Photo:NEIL DECRESCENZO

The Mermaid Parade is Saved!   Last week, we posted about a Kickstarter Fundraiser to save the Coney Island Mermaid Parade.  The parade, which has been held yearly since 1983, was nearly shut down by Superstorm Storm, which did over $400,000 worth of damage to the property of Coney Island USA, the group that manages the parade.  Now with three days remaining, 2,300 donors have pledged over$102,000, beating the $100,000 fundraising target.  At least $10,000 of this sum was raised in a benefit concert headlined by Amanda Palmer.  For Amanda Palmer fans, video of her performance at the Bowery Ballroom can be found here. 

The parade, which attracts over 750,000 spectators yearly, is an annual kickoff to the summer seasons, featuring artists and performers in wild and imaginative costumes, often with an aquatic theme.   The parade is again on schedule for June 22 at 1PM.

Coney Island’s Mermaid Parade raises the $100K needed to stage the June 22 march