About Coney Island USA
Calendar of Events
Coney Island Museum
Lectures and Walking Tours
Coney Island Circus Sideshow
Booking Info & Sideshow School
Gift Shop
Tourist Information
Mermaid Parade
Film Programs
Burlesque at the Beach
BBS
Links
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SIDESHOWS BY THE SEASHORE is the last place in the USA where you can experience the thrill of a traditional ten-in-one circus sideshow. They're here, they're real and they're alive!

Freaks, wonders and human curiosities!

We perform continuous admission and we are conveniently located at the world famous Coney Island amusement park. Think about it folks, the ten-in-one circus sideshow is another Coney Island gift to culture along with other Brooklyn beach inventions like the hot dog and the roller coaster. Established by Coney Island, USA in 1985, where else would you find the world's first professional non-profit theatre dedicated to keeping alive the American sideshow?


YOU ARE GOING TO SEE 10 LIVE ACTS & ATTRACTIONS!

Current sideshow cast members are
Insectavora
Donny Vomit
Serpentina

Heather Holliday
Scott Baker, the Twisted Shockmeister

Black Scorpion

Nick Knack

Other Sideshow Performers you can book through us:
Bambi the Mermaid
The Great Fredini
Dick D. Zigun

SIDESHOWS BY THE SEASHORE is located at the corner of Surf Avenue & West 12th Street in the heart of the Coney Island amusement park. The sideshow seats 99 people and there is a FREAK BAR (serving beer) and a GIFT SHOP in the lobby. Both the inside and the outside of our historic 1917 building are decorated in canvas sideshow banners painted by Valerie Haller or Marie Roberts. The building was originally Child's Restaurant which employed singing waiters. In the 1950's and 60's it was home to Dave Rosen's Wonderland Circus Sideshow where such legends as Sealo the Seal Boy, JoJo the Dogfaced Boy, tattooed man Jack Dracula and talker Bobby Reynolds once worked and performed. SIDESHOWS BY THE SEASHORE is available for private rentals with or without the live sideshow performers. We have been rented for weddings, rock videos, fashion photography, etc. Please call the office at (718) 372-5159 for rental rates.

SCHEDULE FOR SUMMER
The Coney Island Circus Sideshow opens for the season on Easter Weekend and runs until the last weekend of September. The Sideshow is open weekends (Saturday and Sunday) until Memorial Day when it opens on Fridays as well. The Week of the Mermaid Parade, the Sideshow runs Wednesday through Sunday, and runs Wednesday through Sunday until Labor Day. After Labor Day, the Sideshow returns to Weekend-only operations.

On Weekends and Holidays, the Sideshow is open from 1 PM to 9 PM. On all other days, the Sideshow will be open from 2 PM to 8 PM. All hours are subject to weather conditions and the size of the crowd at the amusement park on that particular day; hours of specific performers are also subject to change.

PRICE
Tickets can be purchased at the door only on the day of performance. We do not take reservations for the sideshow. The price is $7.50 for Adults and $5 for children under 12 years old. We reserve the right to discount our prices and run periodic specials if you can catch one. A complete show takes approximately 45 minutes from the time you enter the show. We do not allow photography, videotaping or sound recording of the show.

 

HOW TO BOOK THE SIDESHOW OR OUR PERFORMERS
When we travel we perform under the name CONEY ISLAND CIRCUS SIDESHOW. We are especially interested in bookings and opportunities off-season which means November through April and also weekdays during the summer season. We are willing to travel and we have a good track record of working with corporate sponsors. We have performed in Germany on behalf of Marlboro cigarettes and in Puerto Rico on behalf of Coors Beer. We've enjoyed regular gigs at venues like BB Kings on 42nd Street and the Palace of Wonders in Washington, DC. We've been booked by groups as disparate as Levi's, Virgin Mobile and the NY Times; performed at many colleges including Dartmouth, New York University, CW Post and Brooklyn College; worked nightclubs including Tunnel, Expo, Spy Bar, Roseland, Palladium, Supper Club and Pyramid; and performed at the Museum of the City of NY, the NY Historical Society and the Brooklyn Historical Society. We have been seen on numerous television shows including Jay Leno, David Letterman, Jerry Springer, Sally Jesse Rafael, RuPaul, Joan Rivers, Jon Stewart, Ripley's Believe it or Not!, Entertainment Tonight, Strange Universe and Nightline.

For more information about booking the show, email us at bookings@coneyisland.com



SIDESHOW SCHOOL
AT SIDESHOWS BY THE SEASHORE


Have you ever dreamed of running away with the circus?
Or perhaps you've always thought you had the sex appeal to be a burlesque star, but lacked that secret knowledge? Did anyone ever call you a freak? Well, now’s your chance to become one! Coney Island USA is proud to announce its latest program- SIDESHOW SCHOOL!

Work with some of the greatest talents in the business to learn the ins and outs of the working acts of the sideshow- Fire Eating, Snake Charming, The Human Blockhead, Sword Swallowing, Magic and More!! The class culminates with students actually performing in the Coney Island Circus Sideshow!

All students will be offered performance time on stage and will be required to sign a "hold harmless" agreement before taking any classes.

Click here for information about upcoming classes.


 
 

Roc Roc It at the 2006 Film Fest (Youtube)

Stars of the 1995 sideshow cast

Combustible Kiva VR

 The Magician

 Bobby Reynold's Two Headed Baby

CLICK HERE IF YOU NEED QUICKTIME.

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email :info@coneyisland.com

post : 1208 Surf Ave. Brooklyn NY 11224-2816     phone: 718 372 5159 fax 718 372 5101

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