Coney Island USA has announced that musician Jesse Malin and two-time Grammy winner Rickie Lee Jones will serve as King Neptune and Queen Mermaid for the 44th annual Mermaid Parade on Saturday, June 20.
The parade, which serves as the unofficial kickoff to the New York City summer season, faced significant financial hurdles this year. Organizers cited a harsh winter, economic shifts, and local advocacy efforts as factors that nearly canceled the event before a successful crowdfunding campaign and a funding allocation from Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso secured its return.
“The royalty for this year’s parade is a dream come true,” said Adam Rinn, artistic director of Coney Island USA. “There’s no other working artist in New York at the moment that’s more deserving to lead this parade than Jesse. Rickie Lee Jones is one of the best singer-songwriters ever; she has influenced a generation of artists with her genre-defying blend of rock, jazz, and pop.”
Malin and Jones will be wheeled through the streets in an antique wicker boardwalk rolling chair dating back to 1923, a traditional centerpiece for the nation’s largest art parade.
Reynoso, who stepped in to help fund the event, emphasized the parade’s importance to the local community. “This parade belongs to the people of Brooklyn and to the thousands of artists who pour their hearts into their costumes, floats, and performances every year,” Reynoso said.
The Mermaid Parade typically draws approximately 5,000 participants and hundreds of thousands of spectators to the Coney Island amusement district. The event celebrates seaside ritual and mythology through handcrafted costumes, motorized floats, and marching bands.
The parade is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Registration and further details are available on the Coney Island USA website.
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Lily Vakili is set to release her intimate six-song Live Wire EP May 8 (pre-save here). Recorded with her collaborator, the Grammy-Award winning, Emmy-nominated producer/engineer Reed Turchi, Live Wire an old-school, live in-studio, audio and video recording of songs named for what fans and critics alike say is a perfect description of her charismatic performance style. She will be playing a special EP release show in NYC on May 6 at Francis Kite Club – get tickets here and in Philadelphia May 20 at Nikki Lopez – get tickets here.
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