For more than four decades, the Coney Island Mermaid Parade has transformed Surf Avenue into a spectacle of sequins, sea creatures and radical self-expression. Now, the future of that tradition is uncertain.
Coney Island USA, the nonprofit behind the parade, is facing a mounting financial crisis that could jeopardize the 2026 event, which takes place every June. Organizers say a combination of rising costs, declining tourism and lingering effects from the COVID-19 pandemic has left the organization struggling to stay afloat.
“It’s been a struggle since the pandemic,” artistic director Adam Rinn told Brooklyn Paper. “We as an organization never fully bounced back from it. What’s happening now is that last season was not as lucrative.”
The parade, free for spectators but costly to produce, relies heavily on ticket sales, in-house programming and seasonal revenue. When those streams fell short, the impact ripples into the summer season.
“There are upfront costs that are involved in staging what is, in essence, a free parade,” Rinn said. “It’s free for the people, but it costs the organization money.”
To close the gap, organizers launched a GoFundMe campaign to appeal directly to the public. As of March 19, the fundraiser has brought in over $15,000.
“The Mermaid Parade day is the single busiest day in Coney Island, period. End of story,” Rinn said. “We bring in a few hundred thousand people between marchers and spectators, and that is a boom for the economy for that day.”
That economic impact stretches well beyond the amusement district. Restaurants, bars and small businesses across Coney Island and nearby Brighton Beach depend on the influx of visitors to jumpstart their summer revenue.
Local artist and Community Board 13 member Maxim Ibadov said losing the parade would be devastating on multiple levels.
“I can’t imagine Coney Island without the Mermaid Parade because it is the largest economic vehicle of the season,” Ibadov said. “The Coney Island Mermaid Parade, the Fourth of July weekend and the hot dog eating contest are like the biggest economic vehicles for the neighborhood.”
The parade’s reach extends beyond dollars and cents. For many, it serves as a cultural anchor and creative outlet, particularly for queer artists and performers.
“Because it happens in June, we often joke that the Mermaid Parade is gayer than the Pride Parade,” Ibadov said. “It is just a very joyful parade.”
Rinn echoed that sentiment, describing the event as a rare, inclusive platform for artists of all backgrounds.
“Someone said to me recently, and it was such a true statement,” he said. “They said this is the MET Gala for the real working artists.”
The parade’s participant-driven nature — where anyone can march, perform or create — has made it a defining feature of New York’s cultural landscape.
“It’s the nation’s largest art parade,” Rinn said. “It’s the creative nature of the people of the city and beyond that makes the parade what it is.”
Not having the parade would be “like Washington D.C. without the White House,” Ibadov added. “We [the Coney Island community] feel very proud of this long tradition known around the world that people in other countries and around the nation know.”
For now, supporters are rallying to ensure the parade survives another year. Rinn believes the solution could be simple.
“If everybody who was a spectator at last year’s parade donated just $1, we would be able to stage this parade,” he said.
