It's almost time for this year's Mermaid Parade, the annual celebration of sea lore, kitsch, and well-positioned pasties. This year's King Neptune and Queen Mermaid have already been crowned, and they're a far cry from last year's Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson. more ›

The Coney Island Mermaid Parade marched down Surf Avenue yesterday, but this year the parade took on a different tone. As one sign put it: "Fuck You BP, Save the Mermaids." There was an element of protest at yesterday's parade, as some marchers and performers attempted to remind the audience that real marine life is in danger in the Gulf of Mexico. " Performance artist James (Tigger) Ferguson told the Daily News, "Today is a celebration of sea life trying to survive in the gulf. The Mermaid Parade is a celebration of marine life, mythical and real." more ›

Yesterday, in spite of the dreary weather, the Mermaid Parade rolled along Coney Island's Boardwalk, officially welcoming the summer. This year, King Neptune was actor Harvey Keitel (his wife Daphna was his queen); the Daily News reports the 70-year-old said, "As Mel Brooks said, 'It's good to be the king.'" more ›

Savitri D., normally acting as director of the Church of Stop Shopping, became a mermaid this past weekend. After marching in the Mermaid Parade on Coney Island as Queen, and attending the Ball later that night, she began a hunger strike. She now sits in a storefront on Coney Island, fasting until a scoping meeting tomorrow regarding the fate of the area. You can see her on a livecam that's been set up; she talked to us after her fast began about her cause. more ›

By all accounts, it seems like Saturday's Mermaid Parade was a great deal of fun, enjoying perfect weather and drawing large crowds. One can only hope that the Coney Island tradition dating back to 1903 remains as popular in coming years. Thanks to everyone who tagged and/or submitted their photos "gothamist." more ›

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Reverend Billy and Savitri D have been named King Neptune and Queen Mermaid of the 2008 Coney Island Mermaid Parade, taking place this Saturday, and they're using their power to save Coney "from the gentrifying apocalypse of RETAIL ENTERTAINMENT HELL!" But as they say, No pain, No Gain -- and in order to help their cause, the Queen Mermaid has declared a hunger strike.

The Queen Mermaid will refuse to go back in the ocean! She will initiate a hunger strike during the parade, and will live in a window on Surf Ave and West 12th from the Mermaid Ball until the critical scoping meeting on June 24th at 6 pm. She is fasting to draw attention to a destructive scheme to reduce 60 acres of amusements to 9. She is fasting so YOU will come to this meeting, where the fate of Coney Island may be determined.

Their day in the sun ocean is just around the corner, but the Polar Bear Club of Coney Island may be in too deep with one donation they recently accepted. The Brooklyn Paper reports that in spite of the club "growling in the anti-Thor procession during the Mermaid Parade," the Polar Bears have "made peace" with Thor. more ›

One of the city's biggest industries is the tourism, and the city announced a major push to keep the tourists coming in. Mayor Bloomberg and other officials kicked off the " first-ever global multimedia communications campaign to promote New York City." An advertising campaign titled "This is New York City" will features outdoor posters, internet advertising and a TV spot. Plus, the NYCVisit website features ways for visitors to plan their trip. more ›

This morning the video mentioned in this Metro piece was up on YouTube. Now it's missing and all that's left is a message reading it "has been removed by the user." The video was posted by Coney Island developer Thor Equities’ and portrayed a clearly scripted and favorably edited scene from the Mermaid Parade. more ›

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a bank robbery on Broadway in Manhattan, a water search between 19th and 26th Aves. in Queens, and an injured officer on Albany and Clarkson Aves. in Brooklyn.
• One would think that Albany pols were immune from shame, but Gov. Spitzer wants to make a tour of it, in an attempt to embarrass Joseph Bruno.
• The latest group to organize against a Wal-Mart invasion in their community: Orthodox Jews.
• Yesterday was the 50th anniversary of the Brooklyn Dodgers' last game at Ebbet's Field. Damn You Walter O'Malley.
• Rising worldwide demand for sushi + diminishing supplies of tuna = raw deer and horse meat on your rice.
• Well-orchestrated fake orgasms will soon be relegated to only New Yorkers' apartments, when places like Katz's Deli go out of business forever.
• If one wants to register for federal aid related to April's massive nor'easter, the deadline is at 8 p.m. tonight.
• Flatbush Avenue is Brooklyn's Broadway - and it's booming with development
• The shelf life of valid Metrocards was just extended from one year to two years, so start searching your sock drawers.

The MTA has embraced Internet technology once again to offer the public streaming webcasts of public meetings at its midtown Manhattan headquarters. Thanks to Governor Spitzer's "Executive Order 3," which requires all public agencies to broadcast meetings by July 1, the MTA is investing just over a hundred thousand dollars to set up and maintain the technology. MTA executive director and CEO Elliot Sander said, "The MTA shares Governor Spitzer’s focus on transparency and access, and we are thrilled to be able to offer this service before the mandated deadline." Of course, Sander is a Spitzer appointee. more ›

Pizza lovers in the city can breathe a sigh of relief as Di Fara is back, after being temporarily closed by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. We couldn't detect any obvious changes to the pizzeria and Dom DeMarco was with head gear and sans gloves creating pizzas in the traditional way. more ›

The Coney Island Mermaid Parade was today. If you missed it, there's a chance for you to still get in on an historic boardwalk event this week. The Cyclone Roller Coaster is celebrating its 80th birthday this Tuesday. WNBC profiles Gerry Menditto, who's been looking after the Cyclone for decades, along with a look at the roller coaster itself. The Cyclone still uses the same 100 horsepower motor it used when it opened in 1927. more ›

THEATER: HERE Artistic Director Kristin Marting concludes the OBIE-winning art center’s season by directing performer/dancer Alexandra Beller in us, “a highly athletic, sensual and dynamic blend of movement with song, text and a layered soundscape. Beller created this deeply personal commentary on the state of the union from the perspective of a woman who is at a crisis point in a love relationship.” As we haven’t seen it, we’ll defer to The New Yorker on this one: “The former Bill T. Jones standout dresses herself in the American flag, uses it as a jump rope, breast-feeds it. A sound score assaults her with conservative rhetoric, circa 2004, and she enlists the audience in pointing out contradictions in Leviticus.” Just another reason why we love New York. ENDS SUNDAY! – John Del Signore more ›

Jill Cunniff keeps a blog (a "MamaLog") about being a mom and a musician in New York, but you probably know her best as the lead singer and bass player of early-90s band Luscious Jackson. The band broke up in 2000, but Jill is still creating and performing music - all while being a mom, a wife, and doing her part to clean up New York's beaches. more ›

The Hamptons may reek of money, but Coney Island is getting its very own scent, courtesy of downtown fragrance company Bond No. 9. Inspired by all the recent development along Brooklyn's bayshore, parfumeur Richard Harpin designed a location-based scent that is the borough's first from the company. It will retail for $40 an ounce, $125 for 1.7 ounces or $180 for 3.4 ounces, indicating to us that the value lies in the increasing size of the bottle, rather than the contents inside. more ›

Well, Gateway National Recreation Area is right in our neck of the woods, extending in three New York City boroughs and into northern New Jersey. It is a good place to start your quest for the perfect patch of sand and cooling waters. more ›

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- And tomorrow is a big day: There's the Mermaid Parade tomorrow afternoon and the Gothamist-A Hamburger Today Burger Party at Water Taxi Beach in the evening! more ›

Outdoor activities are going into overdrive this first weekend of summer. With a Mermaid Parade tomorrow afternoon, a Pride Parade Sunday, the Yankees hosting the Marlins, and the Gothamist-A Hamburger Today QBQ BBQ tomorrow evening there is no shortage of things to do outside. more ›

In this heat it’s time to turn to all things frozen, which brings up the eternal question: What is the ideal receptacle for ice cream? Cups are really are a wimp’s way out and cones can be too kiddy. The answer may be found at Villabate Pasticceria in Bensonhurst. There you can get outstanding gelato served inside a brioche roll. This is not your usual ice cream sandwich. Villabate is known for its bread—its semolina is baked more than once a day—and the brioche rolls are baked here too. Light and airy, puffy and round, they are crowned with a beautiful brown glaze (recipe). more ›

This Friday at Crobar, the good people at Coney Island USA are having a fundraiser and mini-hot dog eating competition. The "City of Fire" Spring Gala will feature various entertainment, including Miss Coney Island, the World Famous Pontani Sisters, and a mini Mermaid Parade. For our money though, the eating competition is where the money is at. Dick Zigun, Coney Island USA's Artistic Director, will take on Crazy Legs Conti, the IFOCE's 12th ranked eater. more ›

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Tomorrow, head to Coney Island and experience one of the New York's wildest (and funnest) events, the Mermaid Parade. The Mermaid Parade always has crazy (usually barely there) costumes and even more colorful people... and the Cyclone and pizza are just steps away! This year, the King is David Johansen (Buster Poindexter and New York Dolls) and the Queen is Karmen Guy (Mad Juana). Keep in mind it's going to be hot, so wear your sunblock and have some water by your side. more ›

- Penn Station's exits will get congested during the convention more ›

Kevin Walsh has put up photographs of this year's parage at Forgotten NY; check out his pictures from last year, 2002, 2001 and 2000. Also, thanks to Kevin for the photograph above. And the Invisible Rabbit has an amazing photo gallery of Mermaid Parade photographs as well. Definitely check both sets of photos out if you missed the parade - everyone's incredibly creative with their costumes. more ›

King Neptune and Queen Mermaid, who rule over the parade, will be played by Moby and Theo from the Lunachicks. Last year's parade was led by Bill Evans of ABC-7 and Kate Duyn who was Miss Rheingold at the time. more ›