4. PARADES AS PERFORMANCE
Flaming Creature Crawl 4 and House Crawl
August 2026
A day procession took revelers on a tour of 16 art residencies with a stop for songs by Pinc Louds. The procession included readings by 3 poets, experimental and historic music demonstrations, 2 dance performances, 6 curatorial talks, international costumes and more. Following was an orphic night parade on the harbor’s edge with 150 participants of all ages accompanied by bagpipers, David Watsun and Julianne Brown. A lecture on trees of Governors Island preceded.
Flaming Creature Crawl 2
October 2024
With solar power charged batterries powering amplified harp accompaniment from bike surries, the second night parade had more than 150 attendees representing island species. Costume makers joined from Henson Studios, Mermaid Parade and Morningside Lights.
Solstice Species Sashay
December 2023
The fourth Governors Island Parade, Solstice Species Sashay, was dance-centric with musical leadership via the 40 drums of Fogo Azul, a female and transgender Brazilian Drum Core. Public day of parade workshops included lantern making, mask painting and costuming (pret-a-parade or assemblage). Media segments including NY1 interviews drew families and many other new participants. We mapped projections onto Ligget Arch (powered by solar batteries). Then we paraded through the long archway into the sunset with percussive echoes from all directions.
Flaming Creature Crawl
September 2023
After dark, the third Governors Island Parade had more than 120 costumed performers marching or riding bike surreys along with harpists and violinists. Insect sounds from the trees augmented the soundtrack as the parade circled along the island shoreline where distant city lights echoed the hundreds of paper lanters and bamboo & paper luminaries of island species. All amplification was from solar powered batteries. Weppler and Mahovsky provided extra handmade lanterns.
Parade of the Species 2
2023
The second species parade had solid color focused costumes and included the first group costume. Twelve people wore the cloud people costume following a broken violin player. Costumes ranged from the elegant Isabella Tiger Moth to a vivid Stingray. Gates of the island flowers were borne and audience who passed through the gates were given masks. A trick rollerblader carried a sculpture of the Governers Island Subway and a boat was carried in the parade which distributed prints as souveniers.
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Flaming Creature Crawl 3
October 2025
The 3rd eco species night procession started with a performance of Junkanooacome: The Red Set by Jodie Lyn-Kee-Chow next to Mookntaka inflatables with Jarid Blue projections. Laura Ortman’s violin initiated the procession & Jonno LaMont’s percussion & vocals created the gait.
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2023
The second species parade had solid color focused costumes and included the first group costume. Twelve people wore the cloud people costume following a broken violin player. Costumes ranged from the elegant Isabella Tiger Moth to a vivid Stingray. Gates of the island flowers were borne and audience who passed through the gates were given masks. A trick rollerblader carried a sculpture of the Governers Island Subway and a boat was carried in the parade which distributed prints as souveniers.
Flaming Creature Crawl 3
October 2025
The 3rd eco species night procession started with a performance of Junkanooacome: The Red Set by Jodie Lyn-Kee-Chow next to Mookntaka inflatables with Jarid Blue projections. Laura Ortman’s violin initiated the procession & Jonno LaMont’s percussion & vocals created the gait.
ArcanaCrawl
May 2025
350 were in audience with performances by Vape Kid Jr, Sally Beauti Twin, Heather Rose Piper, Sheep Meadow Dancers, Rachel Kettler. This parade included two art boats along side from Newton Creek to East River.
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Underground/Underwater
September 2026
Two nights of processions along the Newtown Creek, Long Island City burst from a live video shadow puppet play with 4 dance performers. The shadow puppet play continued outside at stops in the procession. Jesse Gelaznik played analog synth, marimba and drum machines in the play and parade.
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Parade of the Species 1
June 2022
Parade of the Species, with 80 parade participants and an art show, occured in June 2022 on Governor’s Island. Those in the parade made costumes that “contained a species of plant or animal on Governors Island.” More than 120 species were represented with partipicants wearing costumes or bearing artwork of multiple species. “Bureau of Unclaimed Species” wagons held representatives of critical species at the food chain’s foundations. Public workshops preceded the parade.
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May 2025
350 were in audience with performances by Vape Kid Jr, Sally Beauti Twin, Heather Rose Piper, Sheep Meadow Dancers, Rachel Kettler. This parade included two art boats along side from Newton Creek to East River.
Underground/Underwater
September 2026
Two nights of processions along the Newtown Creek, Long Island City burst from a live video shadow puppet play with 4 dance performers. The shadow puppet play continued outside at stops in the procession. Jesse Gelaznik played analog synth, marimba and drum machines in the play and parade.
Parade of the Species 1
June 2022
Parade of the Species, with 80 parade participants and an art show, occured in June 2022 on Governor’s Island. Those in the parade made costumes that “contained a species of plant or animal on Governors Island.” More than 120 species were represented with partipicants wearing costumes or bearing artwork of multiple species. “Bureau of Unclaimed Species” wagons held representatives of critical species at the food chain’s foundations. Public workshops preceded the parade.
