This was my first Mermaid Parade and it had lots of the skin and alcohol and laughter that I had heard so much about. But also lots and lots of kids. Dressed up as so many different creatures like mermaids and pirates and fish drummers and squirt gun-toting seahorses. Topless women are great and all but these little guys were far more interesting. And I owe a thank you to photographer Rebecca Smeyne, whose wonderfully odd take on the parade clued me into the weird and fun way that kids take part in this thing.