Coney Island remains a staple of American culture, despite the changes this celebrated place has endured over the decades. Repeated attempts to alter the skyline and demographics of Coney have been met with resistance, and collective mourning always ensues upon the closing of famed attractions, such as Shoot the Freak. While developers struggle to groom [...]
It’s that time of year again! In just two days, Coney Island’s Congress of Curious Peoples will commence, with a full line-up of lectures, live entertainment, parties and more, all of which will be, “celebrating Coney Island’s subversive and exciting power and exploring its political, artistic, and spectacular possibilities through performances, exhibitions, and films by [...]
On June 23, 2012, the 30th Annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade will take place in Brooklyn, NY. This Coney Island tradition has been going strong since 1983 and celebrates the beginning of the summer season (hence the ocean themes). Each year, hundreds of thousands of spectators gather to marvel at the fantastic floats, marine [...]
No bueno, folks! Hot off the Coney Island press: BAD BEETLES THREATEN CONEY ISLAND CIRCUS SIDESHOW SEASON! The 2012 summer season of the Coney Island Circus Sideshow is being threatened by an invasion! A nest of wood-eating beetles found in the ceiling of the freakshow’s recently landmarked 1917 building is causing an uproar that threatens [...]
Okay, okay; so this post may have been much more useful a few weeks ago, but if you’re in need of some very last minute gift ideas, here’s some food for thought: Membership to the Circus Historical Society This membership includes a subscription to Bandwagon, the Journal of the Circus Historical Society. Annual fees begin [...]
Hurry, Hurry, Step right up and check out this original 1940s footage from the Coney Island Freak Show. You’ll see the talker make his pitch, the banner line, actual pinheads and more:
Everyone has their own way of celebrating victories for equal marriage rights, and Coney Island just wouldn’t be Coney Island if they didn’t deliver an appropriately eccentric night of entertainment in honor of such an event. In what promises to be one of the more innovative (and relevant) burlesque events of the year, Coney’s Burlesque [...]
Tomorrow marks the 100th anniversary of the disastrous Coney Island Dreamland fire, a devastating event that forced the park to close its doors permanently. According to Wikipedia: On the night before opening day [for the 2011 season], a concession called Hell Gate, in which visitors took a boat ride on rushing waters through dim caverns, [...]
When President Obama derogatorily referred to Donal Trump as a “sideshow” and a “carnival barker” last week, many in the community were appalled. CNN was quick to jump on the publicity bandwagon, and promptly released the following video: While I do not condone Obama’s use of these words in such a manner, I also am [...]
Today I would like to feature some original 1940s footage from Coney Island, which includes the beach, the freakshow, the roller coasters and more. In news reel fashion, there’s some excellent bally talking, and the quality of both the audio and the video is surprisingly high for the time. What makes this clip most remarkable, [...]