Founded in 1983 by Coney Island USA, the Mermaid Parade celebrates the sand, sea, salt air and the beginning of summer. Participants dress in hand-made costumes as mermaids, Neptunes, various sea creatures, and the occasional wandering lighthouse. Each year, a celebrity King Neptune and Queen Mermaid rule over the proceedings, riding in the parade and assisting in the opening of the Ocean for the summer swimming season. Attending celebrities in the past have included David Byrne, Queen Latifah, Ron Kuby, Curtis Sliwa, Moby and Theo. The Parade is followed by the Mermaid Parade Ball.
From Date:
Sun, 19/06/2011 To Date:
Sun, 19/06/2011 Event Cost:
Free to spectate.
Venue Name:
Coney Island
Opening times:
1700-2300.
Address:
1208 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, United States
Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival
From Date:
Thu, 14/07/2011 To Date:
Sun, 17/07/2011 Venue Name:
Rothvoss Farm
Opening times:
Various. See organiser website for full event listings.
Website:
Address:
758 East Ancram Road, Ancramdale, United States
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
This is something of a New York institution, featuring huge hot-air balloons in the shape of cartoon characters, such as Snoopy, the Pink Panther and Betty Boop.
From Date:
Thu, 25/11/2010 To Date:
Thu, 25/11/2010 Date Description:
November.
Venue Name:
145th Street to 34th Street
Website:
Address:
145th Street, New York, United States
New Year's Eve
One of the most famous street parties in the world, with the iconic countdown to midnight, when the ball drops and the crowds go wild.
From Date:
Fri, 31/12/2010 To Date:
Fri, 31/12/2010 Date Description:
31 December.
Venue Name:
Times Square.
Address:
Times Square, New York, United States
Chinese New Year
This always falls in either January or February, though the date changes every year. There are several celebrations in New York, with firecrackers, parades and dragon-clad dance troupes.
From Date:
Thu, 03/02/2011 To Date:
Thu, 03/02/2011 Date Description:
Early February
Venue Name:
Chinatown.
Website:
Address:
Chinatown, New York, United States
Mermaid Parade
The city's most informal and most lively parade has a nautical theme and a cult following. The city’s rickety old theme park provides the perfect backdrop to this celebration of the weird and wonderful.
From Date:
Wed, 01/06/2011 To Date:
Thu, 30/06/2011 Date Description:
June.
Venue Name:
Coney Island.
Website:
Address:
Coney Island, New York, United States
NYC Pride
The annual lesbian and gay pride march, which travels southwards down Fifth Avenue and ends in Greenwich Village, with a street festival and dance party. Expect outlandish costumes and behaviour, but high spirits and inclusive attitudes.
From Date:
Sun, 26/06/2011 To Date:
Sun, 26/06/2011 Date Description:
June.
Venue Name:
Upper Fifth Avenue to the Village
Website:
Address:
Upper Fifth Avenue, to the village, New York, United States
Fourth of July
Annual firework display in celebration of American Independence.
From Date:
Mon, 04/07/2011 To Date:
Mon, 04/07/2011 Date Description:
4 July.
Venue Name:
Over the East River.
