Congress of Curious Peoples

Congress of Curious Peoples 2022
Coney Island USA, 1208 Surf Avenue.

Congress of Curious Peoples - Weekend All Access Pass and Poster $50 
Weekend pass for all live events including Friday night Sideshow Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Saturdays Fleet Family Five and Hear Us Roar Panel, Sundays Harley Newman, The Professional Lunatic with special guest Kyle Mertz and Chris Christ Q and A and poster - $65 value only $50 in advance or $55 at the door.

Congress of Curious Peoples - Zoom All Access Weekend Viewing Pass $20
Weekend pass for all streaming events including Friday night Sideshow Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Saturdays Fleet Family Five and Hear Us Roar Panel, Sundays Harley Newman, The Professional Lunatic with special guest Kyle Mertz and Chris Christ Q and A.

Friday, April 1 - Opening Night - 16th Annual Sideshow Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Sideshows by the Seashore
7pm (doors at 6pm)

Keynote speaker Marc Hartzman 
ABCnews.com has called Marc Hartzman "one of America's leading connoisseurs of the bizarre" and George Noory from Coast to Coast AM said he's "as bizarre as Robert Ripley." Hartzman considers both high compliments since his passion for the unusual started with Ripley's Believe It Or Not and the annual Guinness World Records books during his youth.

In addition to his books about Mars, Oliver Cromwell's embalmed head, weird things on eBay, sideshow performers, and unorthodox messages from God, Hartzman has written for Mental Floss, the Huffington Post, AOL Weird News, and Bizarre magazine. He's discussed oddities on CNN, MSNBC, Ripley's Radio, and the Travel Channel's Mysteries at the Museum.

More of his love for the unusual can be found on his site, WeirdHistorian.com. Outside of these projects, Hartzman earns a living as an award-winning advertising creative director.
marchartzmanbooks.com

Sideshow Hall of Fame Presenters include: Todd Robbins, Dr. Jeffrey Birnbaum, Kate Dale, James Fitzsimmons, and Corinna Mantlo
With performances by Todd Robbins and Adam RealMan
And special Living Legend Honoree, Chris Christ of World of Wonders

$15 Theatre Seat

$5 Zoom Streaming
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Saturday, April 2nd (facility will be open at Noon)
Fleet Family Five - making their Sideshows by the Seashore debut -   two incredible shows only!

Fleet Family Five is a family-friendly sideshow spectacular.  Fast-paced and funny, featuring former Coney Island MC- Tyler Fyre, Palace of Wonders designer- Thrill Kill Jill, and the 3 most dangerous boys in elementary school – Hank Lightning, Duke Dynamite, & Nash Chopper Fleet. This very real family of five brings you death-defying daredevil danger with all the class and confetti of a Broadway show.  Fire-eating, Sword-swallowing, Snake-charming, Chainsaws, & Dangerous children!  Don’t miss this guaranteed good time! Back on stage where it all began at Sideshows by the Seashore in Coney Island.

2pm Show, $15 Theatre Seat, $5 Zoom Streaming

4pm Show, $15 Theatre Seat, $5 Zoom Streaming

Art and Oddities Market  - Noon to 5pm in the Freak Bar and Arts Annex - Free Admission

Panel Discussion - Coney Island Museum, 3:30pm - Hear Us Roar, Women in the Sideshow and Circus
Join Magie Serpica of Milk and Honey Tattoo as she moderates a panel discussion of Women in the Sideshow and Circus. Panelists include: From Circus Amok, Jennifer Miller, The Painproof Rubber Girls, Ula and Sakra, Corinna Mantlo, Wall of Death Daredevil and from The Muse Brooklyn, Angela Butch.

$5 Museum Seat

$5 Zoom Streaming

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Sunday, April 3rd Side (facility will be open at noon) - Harley Newman, The Professional Lunatic with special guest Kyle Mertz at Sideshows by the Seashore

People say “You’re an entertainer. What do you play?" Harley Newman says "The audience!" As a “Professional Lunatic”, “Zen-master of Sideshow”, and “Human Oxymoron!”, Harley has been recognized with Lifetime Achievement awards for performance in both the arts of sideshow and escapes. His international televised appearances include The Today Show, The Tonight Show, and Ripley’s Believe It Or Not. He has been tied in chains and tossed in with sharks. He has dangled by one foot under a helicopter. Harley is not a person to whom you say “That can’t be done!”, because he will figure it out. The Guinness Book of Records rejected him as "too dangerous to publish”. With 50 years of professional entertaining under his belt, Harley is an OG of sideshow.

With his array of talents including swallowing swords, juggling dangerous objects, and rhythmic skills with bullwhips Kyle Mertz will amaze and shock a wide range of ages. Come see for yourself, and witness this variety performer in action on the inside!

2pm Show, $15 Theatre Seat, $5 Zoom Streaming

4pm Show, $15 Theatre Seat, $5 Zoom Streaming

Art and Oddities Market  - Noon to 5pm in the Freak Bar and Arts Annex - Free Admission

Q and A with Living Sideshow Legend Chris Christ moderated by Todd Robbins - 3:30pm in the Coney Island Museum

Young and ambitious entrepreneur C.M. Christ joined Ward Hall’s show in 1966, eager to travel and learn as much as he could about show business. The two shared a love of entertainment and stage performance, as well as the amusement business in which they would both eventually become legends. Following the sudden death of Hall’s first business partner, Christ turned over his life savings to join forces with Hall in creating the World of Wonders Show. Together, the two worked with a common purpose of creating memories and excitement for families and event patrons as they toured the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Additionally, they shared a passion for training and developing the hundreds of aspiring performers who traveled with the show over several decades.

Chris will be inducted into Coney Island USA's Sideshow Hall of Fame as the first ever Living Legend on opening night of the Congress. On Sunday, Chris will be interviewed by modern day sideshow legend Todd Robbins in the Coney Island Museum.

$5 Museum Seat

$5 Zoom Streaming
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Coney Island USA requires that our guests be fully vaccinated. Proof of vaccination will be checked upon entering. Unvaccinated children must be masked. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.