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Photo of the Day: Coney’s Parachute Jump & Wonder Wheel Lit for Holidays

Posted in Photo of the Day, Photography, tagged Bruce Handy, Christmas, Christmas lights, Deno's Wonder Wheel Park, Holiday lights, light show, Luna Park, Parachute Jump, Wonder Wheel on December 28, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Parachute Jump and Wonder Wheel Lit for Holidays, December 24, 2013. Photo © Bruce Handy

This strikingly beautiful photo of two Coney Island landmarks illuminated for the holidays was taken by Bruce Handy on Christmas Eve 2013. Though the Wonder Wheel appears to be superimposed on the Parachute Jump, there’s no Photoshop trickery here. It’s precisely what the photographer saw that night. “I walked out the door of my apartment house and turned the corner and nearly fainted at the sight,” Bruce tells ATZ. “It was a Christmas Eve miracle. A complete surprise. The photo can only be taken from that exact spot.”

Ever since The Parachute Jump’s dazzling 8,000 LEDs debuted in 2013, the landmark tower’s light show has continued nightly. Specially programmed lighting schemes have paid tribute to the two slain NYPD officers, raised awareness for childhood cancer, and celebrated holidays such as the Fourth of July and Christmas. On New Year’s Eve, the Jump’s LEDs will ring in 2015 with a simulated “ball drop” and light show.

The annual tradition of putting a lighted cross atop the Wonder Wheel during the Christmas season began in 1945 to mark the end of World War II and the troops return home. During the war years, Coney Island was dark after sundown because of “dim-out” and “blackout” regulations to protect shipping from being silhouetted for the enemy by the glare from the shore. The new LED cross was made by DJ Vourderis, whose family has owned Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park for more than 30 years.

Photo of the Day: Coney Island’s Tribute in Light to Slain NYPD Officers

Posted in Photo of the Day, Photography, tagged Bruce Handy, Coney Island, lighting, Mark Treyger, NYPD, Parachute Jump, Rafael Ramos, tribute, tribute in light, Wenjian Liu on December 22, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Parachute Jump Tribute in Light to NYPD Officers Ramos and Liu, December 21, 2014. Photo © Bruce Handy

On Sunday night, the Parachute Jump lights went dark except for two blue stripes honoring the Brooklyn police officers who were ambushed and killed in Bedford-Stuyvesant on Saturday. The tribute in light to the NYPD’s Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos will be repeated on Monday. “Two nights in honor of the two officers,” said Councilman Mark Treyger, who represents Coney Island as well as Gravesend, where Officer Liu lived.

Treyger announced the lighting via twitter just before 6pm and later posted photos calling it a “soaring tribute” and thanking “all of our finest for your courage & sacrifice.” Approximately 300 people attended the candlelight vigil and prayers at the Parachute Jump, said Coney Island photographer Bruce Handy. In attendance were City Council members Treyger and Chaim Deutsch, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, clergy, and community officials and residents, as well as members of the NYPD, FDNY and EMS from South Brooklyn.

The Parachute Jump, which is lit year-round by Luna Park with 8,000 LEDs, went gold on September 5th as part of the Gold World Project to raise awareness for Childhood Cancer. On New Year’s Eve, the Jump’s LEDs will ring in 2015 with a simulated “ball drop” and light show.

Coney Island honors NYC's fallen NYPD officers pic.twitter.com/xJha0d3YDv

— Mark Treyger 🍎 (@MarkTreyger718) December 22, 2014

A symbolic Tribute for our fallen brothers tonight in #ConeyIsland. May they Rest in Peace. pic.twitter.com/oXHNBrgPap

— NYPD 109th Precinct (@NYPD109Pct) December 22, 2014

Photo of the Day: On the Bowery with Pretty the Coney Island Cat

Posted in Animals, Photo of the Day, Photography, tagged Bowery, cat, Coney Island, feral cat, Pretty the Cat on December 3, 2014| 4 Comments »

Pretty the Cat is frequently mistaken for a stray by tourists but this Coney Island cat has long made her home on the Bowery where she is fed year-round by concessionaires. This morning, Coney raconteur and retired arcade owner Stanley Fox photographed Pretty when she jumped on the hood of his car, which he’d parked on the Bowery. Just after he snapped this photo, Pretty ran off to eat breakfast. Ray, who runs the basketball game on the Bowery, had come to feed her, as he does every day. “He stands guard while she eats,” Stan told ATZ, as Ray chased away a big seagull trying to snatch the can of food.

The feline queen of the Bowery is at least 10 or 11 years old by our estimation and is spayed. As we reported last year, after Manny of Coney Island Arcade and Target the Cat left the Bowery for Las Vegas, Pretty came into her own. This feral cat whom only a handful of people could pet in the past became the mascot of the independent game operators. In the summer, you’ll find her grooming herself in the middle of the Bowery unperturbed by passersby and taking a nap in Jimmy Balloons game under the Wonder Wheel sign.