Coney Island Mermaid Ball Velocity, 3015 Stillwell Avenue www.coneyisland.com Saturday, June 24, 2006 Photographed by Linus Gelber

The parade was over and Coney Island continued rocking at the infamous Mermaid Ball, New York City’s chance to dance topless without getting paid for it. This year’s ball featured music from Les Sans Culottes ( New York’s premier French rock-n-roll band), Future in Plastics and The Marina and burlesque acts by Creamy Stevens, Little Brooklyn and Tigger. All this fun was held a Velocity, a beautiful new club in the historic Henderson's Music Hall building, at the center of Coney Island.

Here is a quote from their press release: “The Mermaid Parade Ball is the official after party for the Mermaid Parade, America’s largest art parade, famous for its fancy, slinky, creative costumes, extravagant floats, and huge crowds. The ball benefits Coney Island USA, the nonprofit behind the parade, the Coney Island Museum, Sideshows by the Sea, and much more. In its third decade, Coney Island USA is working overtime to preserve its neighborhood's unique and internationally beloved character under renewed interest from developers.”

Two Revelers	Kit Kat Le Noir of Les Sans Culottes

New York Cool photographer Linus Gelber was on hand to record the fun. Enjoy!