3 Big Mermaid Festivals you need to know about, and add to your bucket list: Coney Island Mermaid Parade, World Mermaid Championship, Mermaid Capital of Texas Fest

Mermaid fairytales and folklore are loved all over the world. Their stories entice readers into the depths, filling their hearts with unfathomable delight. The mystery surrounding mermaids is precisely what makes us all yearn to learn more about them.

There is always something so magical and fascinating about them, as they are usually portrayed in art as seductive yet unattainable, since they in the depths of the ocean, a world we cannot really go to.

However, although the people cherish mermaids, and given the rich history and culture we grew up in, there are few unexpected events dedicated to them. In this article, you can find some important mermaid celebrations that you should be aware of.

Coney Island Mermaid Parade

The first and most renowned is the Coney Island Mermaid Parade, which takes place on June 20th in New York, USA, and has been going on since 1983.

It was created to bring mythology to life, enhancing residents’ self-esteem and encouraging creativity and self-expression.

Parade participants dress up in costumes based on a certain theme each year. The costumes, and decorations are all themed around mermaid mythology and ocean life.

The event recognizes the local community and artists, with around 3000 guests. The festival is performed as a custom to revere their heritage and mythical beliefs.

During the parade, everyone shows different handmade costumes related to the mermaids’. If you’re wondering where to go in your cosplay of Amelia Quintana from Mermaid Princess Amelia and the Lost Symphony, then this feels like the prefect place! This celebration allows the residents and tourists to live in their dreams of cosplaying as a mermaid, and anyone can get creative about what kind of mermaid they want to be, then show it off for everyone to see.

In fact, for many loyal Coney Island locals and visitors, summer doesn’t truly begin until the Mermaid Parade marches down Surf Avenue! As part of the festivities, King Neptune and Queen Mermaid are crowned. The parade then begins with the king and queen throwing fruit into the sea off Steeplechase Pier, as a tribute to the gods of summer. Following the parade, the royal couple dances the night away at the Mermaid Ball.

World Mermaid Championship

Another great festivity that you can’t miss as a fan of Mermaid Princess Amelia, is the World Mermaid Championship in September, in Guangzhou, China. This festival promotes sportsmanship and shows off mermaids as powerful mythical beings who are undefeatable once submerged underwater.

This sporting tournament has 50 mermaids worldwide, demonstrating their mermaid swim abilities. Swim coaches, free divers, and cinematographers will judge them on their technical swimming skills, acrobatic figures, breath-holding, artistry, and mermaid outfits.

Participants will compete in a competition tank 12 meters long and 2.5 meters high. They will perform an underwater choreographed dance with music and display their mermaid ensembles and particular mermaid moves and talents. There are incredible awards, including a cash prize of $200,000, for both children and adults.

Mermaid Capital of Texas Fest

Lastly, Every September, merfolk from the mermaid capitol descend on San Marcos for the Mermaid Capital of Texas Fest.

This yearly celebration of San Marcos culture highlights local art and traditions. The event consists of a parade and a fair. If you enjoy the quirky and colorful, don’t miss out on this!

In the mid-1800s, the San Marcos springs were dammed to produce Spring Lake for their economic power in powering gristmills, sawmills, an ice plant, and electricity. The Aqua maids, mermaid-like young ladies who learned to breathe underwater through a hose and astonished tourists with synchronized swimming, underwater dance, and their Ralph the Swimming Pig sidekick, were born in the 1950s until the 1990s.

This highlights Texas’ great importance and symbolism about mermaids that can be traced back to their historical roots where the springs are regarded by the Native Americans as a “sacred place.”

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