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Posts Tagged ‘Coney Island’

Vidbel Circus Coming to Coney Island in One-Year Deal

Posted in circus, tagged Central Amusement International, Coney Island, Coney Island 2011, Vidbel Circus, Zamperla on June 3, 2011| 1 Comment »

Since Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus bowed out of Coney Island after two seasons, ATZ has been hearing that efforts were underway to bring another circus to Coney this summer. Names of a few circuses were mentioned, but didn’t pan out. This morning, the following press release from Robert W Connor Marketing landed in our inbox. Though we don’t usually post press releases, this is very good news for Coney Island’s amusement area and we’re happy to share it with our readers…

Bob Connor announced today that he has booked the Vidbel Circus into Coney Island this summer from July 4 thru Labor Day. This will be the first summer of ~~a multi year deal~~. So the people of New York City will have a circus at Coney Island this summer and many years to come. The circus will be centrally located in Coney Island–Connor says–“If you walk out the front door of the subway station at Coney Island–cross Surf Ave. heading straight for the boardwalk and the beach–~~Nathans will be on your right and just past that will be the circus.~~ It is a perfect location.”

We’ll update this post as more details become available..

Update, June 3rd, 11:30 am…

The location mentioned in the booking agent’s press release, which is Thor-owned land currently occupied by the BK Festival, is incorrect. The circus is actually coming to City-owned Parcel C, the empty lot across from the Scream Zone (Parcel B). It is also not a multi-year deal, as claimed in the release. ATZ has confirmed with Valerio Ferrari, CEO of Zamperla’s Central Amusement International, the operators of Luna Park and Scream Zone, that they are bringing in the circus for a one-year deal. Also, Ferrari says the deal is not signed yet.

Update, July 10…

Photo Album: Vidbel Old Tyme Circus Opens in Coney Island
Shows are Tuesday through Fri, 6 & 8pm; Saturday, 4, 6 & 8pm; and Sun, 3 & 6pm. Tickets are available one hour before showtime and cost $10. At the show we attended, children 5 and under were admitted free of charge.

Update, July 17…

Catch the show this weekend! The circus will be here only through Sunday, July 17th and then will be hitting the road again. Discounted tickets are now available online
http://coneyisland.eventbrite.com/

Credit: Coney Island Development Corporation

Photo Album: Street Art Down by the Coney Island Bowery

Posted in art, Photography, tagged Coney Island, Keith Schweitzer, ND'A, NO Longer Empty, OverUnder, street art, Thor Equities, Veng on June 1, 2011| 1 Comment »

No Longer Empty in Coney Island: Polar Bear by Veng and ND'A painting Down by the Boardwalk. May 28, 2011. Photo © me-myself-i/Tricia Vita via flickr

On Saturday in Coney Island, we passed by the Bowery side of Thor Equities’ blue construction fence to find an artist working on a Down by the Boardwalk-themed painting. It features a friendly octopus holding a boombox and a note saying “On a blanket with my baby is where I’ll be.” Like the three street artists whose work we wrote about last month in “Photo Album: Whimsical Murals Blossom in Coney Island,” ND’A aka Nick was sent by the art organization No Longer Empty and the City’s Economic Development Corporation to beautify the streetscape.

ND'A painting Down by the Boardwalk. May 28, 2011. Photo © me-myself-i/Tricia Vita via flickr

Keith Schweitzer, who organized the mural project for No Longer Empty, told ATZ about the other new murals: “The polar bear – to the left of Nick’s octopus – is by Veng, the same artist who painted the semi-realistic faces and clown on the Stillwell wall. He’s a quiet, talented man and often full of surprises. He arrived at the wall that morning and said ‘I am going to paint a polar bear.’. It was later I found out that he & his family/friends take part in the Polar Bear Club activity at Coney Island each year. Like I said, he’s a quiet man, and I’m not sure if hearing about Rabbi Abraham Abraham’s recent passing away had anything to do with the subject of the mural.”

No Longer Empty in Coney Island: ND'A painting Down by the Boardwalk... May 28, 2011. Photo © me-myself-i/Tricia Vita via flickr

As for the large CONEY letters guarded by New York’s Finest in the photo below, they were painted by OverUnder, who also painted the Stillwell Avenue side of the fence with Veng. “OverUnder did the whimsical swimmers and the heart ‘Love to Sea you,’ and other elements of the wall,” says Schweitzer. “On one of the days that we were painting Stillwell Ave, a newlywed couple walked toward OverUnder from the boardwalk having just taken post-wedding photos. They were in full wedding attire and asked OverUnder if he would paint something for them. OverUnder obliged, asking their names, and painted their initials H&B inside of a heart. That was not part of the planned composition, but it developed into the wonderful ‘tattoo’ heart and I am happy to see that many people stop to be photographed in front of the heart.”

We’re happy to see these fanciful paintings bringing good vibrations to this decimated block. As previously noted, it’s a good solution to distract people’s attention from the construction fence and the empty lot at the gateway to Coney Island’s beach and boardwalk. Sad to say, the century-old Henderson Music Hall stood here until real estate speculator Joe “Blight for Spite” Sitt knocked it down in January. A pile driver was recently moved onto the lot at Surf and Stillwell. Behind the blue fence, a foundation for a high rise is being built, on top of which a placeholder one-story commercial building will be plopped next season. Nothing can quell my sorrow that we lost the zoning battle to keep high rises of up to 30 stories off the south side of Surf.

Update, June 14th…

Visit Vandalog to see photos of the latest mural on the blue wall: The street artist Radical has painted an ice-cream cone slurping hot dog!

Cat Photo of the Day: Target the Coney Island Cat at Work

Posted in Animals, Photo of the Day, tagged cat, Coney Island, Coney Island Arcade, Photography, Target the Cat on May 31, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Nobody makes calling in customers look easier than Target, the world-famous Coney Island Cat. All he has to do is sit in his spot on the counter of Jimmy’s Balloon Dart. Some girls can’t walk by without stopping to pet him and ask his name. Next thing you know they’re busting balloons and winning prizes.

When Target the Cat is not working, he likes to patrol the Bowery or hang out across the way at Deno’s Super Shot. Of course, Target and his owner, Manny Cohen of Coney Island Arcade, plan to ride the Wonder Wheel at the Coney Island park’s first annual Pet Day on June 11. The cat declined to enter the pet costume contest though. “He’s natural, ” Manny says.