Darcelle Honored at Mermaid Parade in Portland

As part of the 7th annual Portlandia Mermaid Parade and Festival, merpeople paid a shoreside visit to the waterfront in Portland on Saturday to celebrate drag star Darcelle XV.

The Mermaid Parade’s theme this year was a drag. Drag costumes are a major source of inspiration for many mermaids, so the event’s planners decided to pay tribute to the late Darcelle XV, a renowned drag performer from Portland who passed away in March.

This summer, other Portlanders paid tribute to Darcelle XV, including by hosting a drag event that broke records and renamed a Portland town plaza in the performer’s honor.

“For many of us, Darcelle was a beloved icon in Portland,” said parade organizer Una the Mermaid, who says she is a mermaid in her personal and professional life. “I think for us, there is certainly a lot of gender fluidity with merfolk and in the legends and mythology of merpeople.”

Here is a relatable tweet also:

Mermaid Parade / Coney Island pic.twitter.com/glCECw6NS7

— Deborah Troeller (@DeborahTroeller) July 31, 2023

Contrary to popular belief, merfolk in legends do not have a single defined gender and are typically shape-shifting creatures, according to Una. People in the mer community now place a high value on this concept.

“We’re acting in drag when we go out there as merpeople. We’re exaggerating and bringing out these aspects of ourselves that perhaps we wouldn’t necessarily do in our everyday life,” Una said.

In a tie-breaker for their performances, the Sea King and Queen of the Portlandia Mermaid Parade were chosen. In order to lead the parade down to Poets Beach on the South shore, the winners were given sashes and scepters.

Una stated that it has been challenging to develop a genuine culture of inclusivity. “Simply saying, ‘We’re inclusive, therefore you can attend,’ isn’t enough. Hearing the experiences of those in the community who don’t feel represented has taken a long time.”