The 18th edition of the zany, irreverent King Mango Strut is set to parade through the streets of Coconut Grove on Dec. 26.

“That’s right, and this year we’re going to be sliding bug free into the millennium on Y2K mango jelly,” said Wayne Brehm, one of the Strut’s organizers.

Brehm, owner of Om Jewelers and vice president of the Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce, issued a call for help in coming up with spoof ideas for this year’s Strut and the companion Little Miss Mango contest.

Brehm said the “Mango Maniacs” will meet every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Taurus Restaurant, 3540 Main Hwy., to brainstorm for lunacy for the spoof parade.

“We want people to think of something funny, form a unit and join us,” Brehm said. “If they don’t have a crazy idea but want to Strut, we’ll give them something nutty to do.”

The King Mango Strut began in 1981 as a fun-filled spoof of the then-mighty King Orange Parade. With King Orange on the ropes and its future uncertain, King Mango looms as a reluctant heir-apparent.

Previous Mango Struts have seen such hilarity as the Bobbit Brigade, a group of marching women humorously wielding scissors, shears and knives, and the Marching Freds, a group of men dressed alike who all have the same first name. Of course, City of Miami politics are always fair game for the Strut’s barbs. No doubt Mayor Joe Carollo, former Mayor Xavier Suarez and former Commissioner J. L. Plummer will find their way into this year’s follies.

Applications for participating in the King Mango Strut are available at Om Jewelers, 3070 Grand Ave.

For more information, call 305-445-1865, or send an e-mail to < toni@puga.com >.