Surf's up! Mermaid Parade returns to Coney this Saturday

By Alex Rush

At this Coney Island parade, it’s merman versus food.

The king of the 29th annual Mermaid Parade, a nautical-themed costume party along Surf Avenue, is none other than the Brooklyn-born star of “Man v. Food,” Adam Richman.

Richman and his Queen Mermaid, NBC New York personality Cat Greenleaf, will lead the People’s Playground procession that celebrates the beginning of summer.

“I’m thrilled that two television personalities are leading the parade this year,” said parade founder Dick Zigun, whose jaunty jaunt has previously made King Neptunes out of actor Harvey Keitel, Talking Heads frontman David Byrne, musician Moby, gravel-voiced and -personalitied singer Lou Reed, and late local legend Rabbi Abraham Abraham.

But the Mermaid Parade is more than just a celebrity showcase. It’s an afternoon-long festival featuring marching bands, antique cars and near-naked sea nymphs covered by only body paint and maybe clam shell bikinis for the more conservative participants. The most eye-popping costumes receive awards like “Best Mermaid.”

And when we say “Best” costume, we really mean “least costume.”

“It’s our Mardi Gras,” Zigun said.

But this New York holiday often has a political twist. For instance, last year some marchers tried to spread awareness about the environmental crisis in the Gulf of Mexico with signs like “F—k You BP, Save the Mermaids.” And in 2009 some protested Mayor Bloomberg’s Coney rezoning plan to turn the neighborhood into a year-round tourist destination with amusement parks, shopping and hotels.

“You never know what’s going to happen, but I think this year there will be a patriotic spirit because of the death of Osama bin Laden,” said Sideshow performer Stephanie “Serpentina” Torres, who says this year she’ll dress as a “military superhero with a nautical twist.”

After the parade, performers and spectators can congregate at the after-party at the Aquarium’s 1,000-seat amphitheater. The extravaganza will feature a sea lion show, synchronized swimmers and performances by both burlesque and kitschy carnie acts.

Mermaid Parade [starts at W. 21st Street and Surf Avenue in Coney Island, (718) 372-5101], June 18 at 2 pm; Mermaid Parade Ball at the New York Aquarium [602 Surf Ave. near W. Eighth Street in Coney Island, (718) 264-3474], June 18 at 7 pm. Tickets $25. For info, visit www.coneyisland.com.

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Memorial Day weekend in Brooklyn

 Memorial Day weekend is upon — and if you're sticking around town, there's plenty to do.

Check out our guides to weekend festivities, including DanceAfrica at BAM (pictured), Green-Wood Cemetery festivities, and a Luna Park birthday party; a roundup of Brooklyn's best beer gardens, since it's finally stopped raining so that you can finally grab a drink outdoors; and a preview of what's in store at Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 6 starting Saturday.

Also, for a traditional Memorial Day, here's a look at the parades happening in a neighborhood near you:

Canarsie Memorial Day Parade

May 30 at 10 am

Start: Canarsie Cemetery (Remsen Avenue and Avenue K)

Gerritsen Beach Memorial Day Parade

May 30 at 10 am

Start: Plumb Second Street and Whitney Avenue

Greenpoint

May 29 at 9 am

Start: Manhattan Avenue and Driggs Avenue

Bay Ridge Memorial Day Parade

May 30 at 11 am

Start: 87th Street and Third Avenue

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Get your Viking on

By J.J. Despain

There may be fewer Norwegians in Bay Ridge than herring at a barbecue — but that won’t prevent the neighborhood’s legendary Norwegian Constitution Day Parade from marching on.

On Sunday, the neighborhood celebrates 197 years of Norwegian independence with a parade through a neighborhood that’s more Little Median than Little Oslo.

“This is where the parade was originally formed, and we’re going to keep it here,” said Ken Gundersen, chairman of the annual celebration of Norway’s constitution, which also comes a day after Viking Fest at Owls Head Park, which, like the parade, will feature plenty of horned helmets, as well as a Viking ship, music and dance.

The parade and festival are a throwback to the 1920s, when Bay Ridge was truly Little Norway, a neighborhood where Scandinavian delis and shops were common, people used words spelled with that o with the line through it, and Eighth Avenue was better known as “Lapskaus Boulevard” — you know, after the beef stew beloved from Oslo to Ospeskogen to Ovington Avenue.

Of course, the Norwegian population of Bay Ridge has declined — from about 54,530 after World War II to about 6,000 today. But still, 100,000 spectators are expected, more than previous years.

“Wherever they live now, the Norwegian population is still coming out in strong numbers,” Gundersen said. “It’s the largest Independence Day parade outside of Oslo.”

Even if you don’t give a wooden krone about Bay Ridge’s Scandinavian roots, you should care about Norwegian independence, which came about when the country signed its legendary constitution in 1814 — a document that remains the oldest constitution in democracy-challenged Europe.

Better still, this parade is a barrel of lutefisk! This year’s march, for example, honors Roald Amundsen, best known as the Norwegian who reached the South Pole first.

“We thought that he brought a lot to Norwegian history,” Gundersen said.

And also on hand will be Bay Ridge’s own Jennifer Egeberg, who just won the Miss Norway of Greater New York contest.

And there’ll be plenty of that Scandinavian food, arts and culture. So don your bunad and save room for plenty of lefse (they’re better than they sound).

Norwegian Constitution Day Parade [starts at 83rd Street and Fifth Avenue in Bay Ridge, (718) 745-6653] at 1 pm on May 15. Parade continues to Leif Ericson Park between Sixth and Seventh avenues; Viking Fest at Owls Head Park [Colonial Road and 68th Street entrance], May 14 from noon to 5 pm. Free.

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Be a 'King' for a day

It’s not every day you see a camel walking down Graham Avenue.

But this Sunday in Williamsburg, your eyes won’t be deceiving you when the Three Kings Day Parade returns in all its spectacular glory.

Three Kings Day, also known as The Epiphany or Dia de los Reyes, traditionally occurs on the 12th day after Christmas (also known as Jan. 6), and celebrates the day when Jesus was revealed to be the son of God.

It’s essentially one big birthday party all over again.

The treasured procession, now in its 14th year, brings out thousands to share in the cultural heritage of the neighborhood’s Hispanic community. Parade highlights include a procession of three camels and three wise men, in shimmering red, green and purple robes, and a whole petting zoo, including donkeys and sheep, to recreate the nativity scene, as well as live music, dancing, and, just for the fun of it, a train of classic cars.

Also expect to see children dress up for the parade, Halloween-style (except that instead of Spider-Men or witches, they’ll be shepherds and angels).

Three Kings Day Parade starts at Meeker and Graham avenues in Williamsburg on Jan. 9 at 2 pm. For info, visit www.tresreyesmagos.org.

Photo by Stefano Giovannini

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Halloween in Brooklyn

Call it Boo-klyn!

Halloween in Brooklyn doesn't disappoint this year, with tons of parades, parties and performances to keep you busy.

We've rounded up the best that's out there in our Halloween guide for this weekend. We've also compiled up all the parades for trick or treaters big and small. And, it wouldn't be Halloween without a proper fright fest, and we've got the skinny on Luna Park's "Nights of Horror" (above).

Photo by Stefano Giovannini

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Labor Day Fun, Part VI: Party down Eastern Parkway

By Damian Harris-Hernandez

Scantily clad revelers and stilt-dancing moco jumbies return to the streets of Brooklyn this weekend for the annual West Indian Carnival Festival.

The Labor Day institution, which will take over Eastern Parkway this Sept. 6, draws over three million spectators and merrymakers to partake in Caribbean music, dancing and tasty fare.

“People from all over the world come to celebrate the culture of the Caribbean region,” said Jean Alexander, of the West Indian American Day Carnival Association, which organizes the parade. “Families reunite on Eastern Parkway. It’s a real nice time.”

Organizers of the jovial procession, the longest in the city, remain unfazed by the city’s call to cut the parade’s length and duration in a cost-saving move. As a result, this year’s starting point is Schenectady Avenue, cutting the parade length by one block, but the bacchanal promises to be bigger and better than ever this year.

“I don’t see it as a setback,” said Alexander of the one-block trim. “We have 40 new groups this year, many of whom are even coming from the Islands.”

Indeed, Idakeda, a Trinidadian cultural dance troupe from Port of Spain, will perform “Kambule,” a play celebrating Canbouley, a Trinidadian carnival that gave rise to Calypso and later soca music.

For the diehard revelers who can’t wait for the real parade to start, J’ouvert begins at 2 am near Grand Army Plaza on Labor Day. In this predawn procession, masqueraders wear wild costumes and douse each other in mud and paint while steel bands pump out live soca music.

Bring your flag and costume, but leave your inhibitions at home.

West Indian American Day Carnival [along Eastern Parkway starting at Schenectady Avenue in Crown Heights to Grand Army Plaza in Prospect Heights, (718) 467-1797], Sept. 6 from 11 am-6 pm, For info, visit www.wiadca.com.

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Your guide to local parades

And if you want a traditional Memorial Day, hit one of the four parades around our town:

Canarsie Memorial Day Parade

May 31 at 11:30 am

Start: 92nd Street and Conklin Avenue

Gerritsen Beach Memorial Day Parade

May 31 at 10 am

Start: Gerritsen Avenue and Whitney Avenue

Greenpoint

May 30 at 9 am

Start: Manhattan Avenue and Driggs Avenue

Kings County Memorial Day Parade in Bay Ridge

May 31 at 11 am

Start: 87th Street and Third Avenue

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