The colorful spirit of The Coney Island Mermaid Parade by Anna Lauren

Some years ago I have been to New York – the first time you are standing on Brooklyn Bridge and see the Manhatten skyline, that you only know from movies, is quite a moment. A bit unreal. Even though I felt this wouldn´t be the city where I would like to get old, I loved the sense of freedom that you have there to be anyone you want to be.

Once a year in late June people over there get together for The mermaid parade on Coney Island and Anna Lauren has experienced that a couple of times over the past years and this time wanted to share some her impressions, all shot on film. “Its a time when people from all over New York come together to express and share the cities creativeness and weirdness. I’ve gone a couple of times between the ages of 10 and 18 and each year I’m amazed by what people put together. Its like a giant circus, its hot and sweaty, theres more body paint here then anywhere else, you can’t tell what anybody will do next. Its a giant mess of colors and its totally overcrowded but I love it. The adrenalin rush that you get at the mermaid parade is unlike anything! I recommend that everyone gets the change to experience it at least once in there lives.”

all images shot on film by Anna Lauren Photography