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Ringling Circus Back in Coney Island, Congrats to Trivia Contest Winners!

Posted in circus, history, tagged Coney Island Illuscination, free tickets, history trivia, Luna Park, Ringling Brothers, trivia contest, Virginia Reel on June 5, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Coney Island Illuscination & Deno's Wonder Wheel posters in Stillwell Station. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i

Stillwell Terminal is lined with vivid posters for Ringling’s Coney Island Illuscination, which opens on June 17, and for Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park, whose landmark Wonder Wheel celebrates its 90th birthday this year! On Friday, Ringling’s sleek blue-and-yellow striped circus tent was raised for its second season in Coney Island. Photos of the tent raising from start to finish can be found in Ringling’s photo album on Facebook as well as Amanda Stevens’ flickr set.

In 2009, the Coney Island circus made history by bringing “The Greatest Show On Earth” back under “The Big Top” for the first time since 1954. Justin Case, who rode a tiny bicycle through a ring of fire, was our favorite performer in last year’s Coney Island Boom-A-Ring. This season’s all new show features illusionist David DaVinci, a trio of Italian clowns, Russian acrobats, Chinese Kung Fu masters and more!

Coney Island Illuscination's Empresses of the Air, Widny Neves and Viktoriya Medeiros. Photo via Ringling Coney Island's Facebook

Last month ATZ had a history trivia contest to give away two Family Four Paks for opening weekend of Coney Island Illuscination. Readers who sent in correct answers were eligible for a drawing for the circus tickets. Congrats to our two winners –Bill F. of Old Bethpage, NY, and Jim A. of Smithtown, NY. Enjoy the show!

Bill and Jim were among several people who correctly answered question # 2: “Tell us the name of a Coney Island attraction that was named after a member of the inventor’s family! Name of inventor and relationship to family member also required!” One correct answer is Luna Park–the original Luna Park, of course– which opened in 1903 and was named after park co-owner Elmer “Skip” Dundy’s sister Luna. Another correct answer is the Virginia Reel, a popular ride that made its debut in 1908 at Luna Park. It was designed by Henry E. Riehl, who named the ride after his daughter, Luna Virginia Riehl. With the rebirth of Luna Park Coney Island, will Luna become a popular girl’s name once again?

The Virginia Reel at Luna Park, 1910. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division via flickr

Trivia Contest! Win VIP Circus Tickets to Coney Island Illuscination

Posted in circus, tagged Coney Island Illuscination, free tickets, history trivia, Ringling Brothers, trivia contest on May 20, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Would you like to win free tickets for the Coney Island circus’s opening weekend show? Skip down to the next graf! First off, we’re thrilled that Ringling Bros. Circus is coming back to Coney Island this summer after last year’s successful run of their Coney Island Boom-A-Ring, which entertained over 160,000 visitors and employed over 300 local residents. In 2009, the Coney Island circus made history by bringing “The Greatest Show On Earth” back under “The Big Top” for the first time since 1954.

The Big Top will be back at the Boardwalk and 15th Street from June 17 through September 6 with an exciting new show. Coney Island Illuscination stars master illusionist David DaVinci, the Kung Fu Kings from China, a trio of Italian clowns and more. ATZ is giving away two Family Four Paks –that’s 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 drinks– donated by the Ringling Circus. The tickets are VIP floor seats (!) good for all ages and are for Sunday, June 20. The winners can choose between the 1 pm or 5 pm performances.

Kung Fu King, Sun Junjie diving through hoops of razor-sharp sabers -- blindfolded! Photo courtesy of Ringling Coney Island

Instead of just picking a couple of names out of a hat, ATZ wanted to make it more interesting for our readers, so we’ve created a Coney Island history trivia contest. All you have to do to be eligible for the drawing for the circus tickets is send us one correct answer to one of the questions. The more correct answers you submit, the more chances you have to win. We’ll post the answers along with source links when the contest is over.

The deadline for submissions is either Thursday, May 27, or when we’re up to our eyeballs in hundreds of correct answers, whichever comes first! We’ll post an update here if it begins to look like the contest will conclude before the 27th. This is our first contest, so we’re winging it. Send your answers via email to hello[AT]triciavita[DOT]com.

Now for the questions….

1. Boyton’s Sea Lion Park, Steeplechase Park, Luna Park, Dreamland, and Astroland are the most famous of Coney Island’s historic amusement parks. Can you tell us the names of any other Coney Island parks from the past and their approximate dates of operation?

2. Tell us the name of a Coney Island attraction that was named after a member of the inventor’s family! Name of inventor and relationship to family member also required!

UPDATE June 5, 2010:

Congrats to our two winners –Bill F. of Old Bethpage, NY, and Jim A. of Smithtown, NY. Enjoy the show! Bill and Jim were among several people who correctly answered question # 2. The answers are revealed in “Ringling Circus Back in Coney Island, Congrats to Trivia Contest Winners!”

Ringling Bros. Big Top in Coney Island, August 15, 2009. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Coney Island School Bus Lot Has Gotta Go! The Circus Is Coming

Posted in circus, News, tagged Coney Island 2010, feld Entertainment, Gold Unit, Illuscination, Parking lot blight, Ringling Circus, School Bus on December 23, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Which would you rather see this summer in Coney Island? Row upon row of permanently parked yellow school buses? Or Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus’s Illuscination under the Big Top? We thought so…

Today, Ringling’s magical new show starring “thrillusionist” David DaVinci, an aviary of macaws, doves, and free flying parrots, a trio of Italian clowns, and much more will premiere in West Palm Beach. Stay tuned for our upcoming preview of the show. Come summer, Feld Entertainment is expected to bring the Gold Tour #4 to Coney Island after the successful 12-week run of their Coney Island Boom-A-Ring in 2009.

“I was down in Florida for rehearsals of the new Gold Unit last week and I have to tell you – it’s spectacular!” says Steve Yaros, Vice President, Event Marketing & Sales, Northeast Region at Feld Entertainment. Yaros has been working with Taconic Investment Partners to secure the lot at 21st and Surf where Ringling raised its blue and yellow striped tent last summer. ATZ had heard the circus performers were telling friends they’ll be in Coney over the summer. Come visit! When we asked Yaros, he said a deal has yet to be made.

“They are still looking for a place to relocate the buses that are currently there. It would be a shame if yellow buses replace The Greatest Show On Earth on Coney Island this summer,” says Yaros. “But I’m optimistic we will figure out a solution soon. It’s Feld Entertainment’s sincere desire to return to Coney Island in 2010 and continue the summertime tradition we started last year. So please keep your fingers crossed and send us positive vibes.”

We’re optimistic, too. Last summer’s Coney Island Boom A Ring brought The Greatest Show On Earth back under “The Big Top” for the first time since 1954 and attracted over 160,000 visitors in its first year in Coney Island. The Coney Island community–those of use who live or work here–are of course thrilled to have Ringling return with a new show. The circus folk were great neighbors and partners in helping us publicize the fact that Coney Island is Really Fun and Really Open.

We’re optimistic since Ringling wants to come back and Mayor Bloomberg wants the circus back and the Mayor is known for getting things done. “The City is looking forward to a vibrant summer in Coney Island in 2010, and we hope that the Ringling Brothers Circus will be part of it,” says Libby Langsdorf, assistant vice president for public affairs at New York City Economic Development Corp. (NYCEDC).

If ever there was a time to end the school bus parking blight in the People’s Playground, it’s now. There are already too many pix of yellow buses popping up in visitors’ flickr sets of Coney Island. If you think we’re exaggerating, take a look. Visitors wonder why all the school buses on earth are parked there. It’s a surprising thing to see in the heart of Coney Island, so they snap a picture. Memories are made of this. There are actually two bus lots–one on property owned by Thor Equities adjacent to Nathan’s and one further west on Taconic’s property. Let’s exile the buses on Thor’s property while we’re at it and replace them with….rides!

“I remember Coney Island. Coney Island School Bus Depot in the rain.” May 17, 2009. Photo © Matto Fredriksson/mattogbg via flickr

The unamusing buses have long term leases to park on the empty lots despite the fact that the area was zoned for amusements. The photographers’ captions say it all: A bus station, a school bus graveyard, Coney Island School Bus Depot and School Bus School Bus School Bus School Bus School Bus School Bus. If anyone knows of an empty lot where the throng of school buses can go on permanent vacation from Coney Island, please let us know! Or better yet, let the City know. See you at the circus!

UPDATE April 7, 2010:

Goodbye school buses! Hello Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey! It’s finally official: Feld Entertainment issued a press release today announcing The Coney Island Illuscination. The show will run from June 17 through September 6, 2010.