Coney Island U.S.A. to host Mermaid Parade Tail-a-Thon

The show must go on.

A beloved Coney Island tradition that is nearly 40 years old is returning in a new form that is attuned to the times.

On Saturday, Aug. 29, Coney Island USA is hosting its ever Mermaid Parade Tail-a-Thon.

The 38th Annual Mermaid Parade was slated to take place in June. However, it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, people all over the world will be able to stream the festivities.

The Tail-a-Thon will basically be an online telethon. It will feature parade participants and will share the donations with charities.

“It won’t be the hundreds of thousands of people in one physical space that we normally have — but we will all be connected via video streams to the Parade Hub (essentially this year’s reviewing stand) — where our tech team will combine the streams with the Parade MCs, special guests, pre-recorded content and more surprises,” Coney Island USA’s website said. “The whole shebang will then be broadcast out to the general public over an eight-hour period.”

The Tail-a-Thon is expected to be anywhere from 8 to 12 hours long, and Coney Island USA encourages viewers to donate. And not just to that particular organization.

“We fool around a lot, but we recognize and empathize with the desperate situation of so many of our fellow humans,” Coney Island USA said. “We want to do our part, and will be distributing at least half the proceeds of the Tail-a-Thon to a group of charities.”

The beneficiaries will be selected by a blue-ribbon committee, and this year’s Mermaid Parade king and queen, Lynn Nottage and Jeremy O. Harris, will hand-pick two of the charities.

The event also may feature some surprise appearances.

The organization asks for a suggested donation of $25 per person, with more for groups, but it is up to viewers how much they donate.

For more information, visit https://www.coneyisland.com/