Video

The Mermaids Have Arrived

Coney Island’s annual parade of half-clothed strangers.

Last month, New York’s Coney Island held its 33rd annual Mermaid Parade, a daylong event filled with hot dogs, beer, and throngs of half-dressed strangers. Every year, the beachside neighborhood receives more Daryl Hannah and Ariel lookalikes than it probably needs, but the parade is also one of the most invitingly festive events of the New York summer.

Watch the video above for scenes from this year’s event—and a few reasons to attend next year’s.