Amanda Palmer & Neil Gaiman are Queen & King of the 2018 Coney Island Mermaid Parade

April 2, 2018

The Coney Island Mermaid Parade returns on June 16, 2018, and this year’s Parade Royalty have been announced. Amanda Palmer and her husband, writer Neil Gaiman will serve as this year’s Mermaid Queen and King, particularly apt choices for a celebration of creativity, nautical mythology, and letting your freak flag fly. Amanda and Neil follow in the footsteps of past Parade Royalty like Debbie Harry and Chris Stein of Blondie in 2017.

This year’s Mermaid Parade, the 36th edition, starts at 1 PM on June 16. It starts at West 21st St and Surf Avenue and rolls east to West 10th St, where marchers and push-pull floats head towards West 17th and the boardwalk, and cars and motorized floats continue down Surf Ave to exit the parade. Registration is open, and you can find more details about the parade here. Check out pictures from last year’s Mermaid Parade in the gallery below.

Amanda is also working on a new solo album, which she plans to head to the studio to record in September with John Congleton. Subscribers to her Patreon can hear a demo of a new song, “Current 94.” She appears in conversation with neuroscientist David Eagleman at The Rubin Museum on April 18, and tickets are currently sold out.

Neil also has an upcoming NYC speaking engagement – Laurie Anderson speaks to him as part of 92Y Talks at Kaufmann Concert Hall on April 17, and tickets are on sale.