Celebrate Historic Coney Island - 5th Annual History Day on Saturday, Aug. 8th

LongIsland.com

Enjoy live music, dancing and history at the 5th Annual History Day at Deno's Wonder Wheel Park, Coney Island's oldest amusement park, and the Coney Island History Project exhibit center.

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Photo courtesy of Deno's Wonder Wheel Park

Brooklyn, NY - July 28, 2015 - Enjoy live music, dancing and history at the 5th Annual History Day at Deno's Wonder Wheel Park, Coney Island's oldest amusement park, and the Coney Island History Project exhibit center. This year's festivities are a celebration of the 95th anniversary of the 1920 landmark Deno's Wonder Wheel and the 60th anniversary of the 1955 Spook-A-Rama, Coney's last classic dark ride. The free event will be held from 1-6pm on Saturday, August 8. The rain date is August 9. 

On History Day, pick up a schedule and souvenir map of the historic attractions in Deno's Wonder Wheel Park at locations throughout the park and at the Coney Island History Project. See our Stilt Walker for a 95th Anniversary Balloon! 

History Day activities will be at the following locations:  

Boardwalk Stage  in front of Deno's Wonder Wheel Park 

History Day Opening Ceremony with the Vouderis family of Deno's Wonder Wheel Park, historian Charles Denson of the Coney Island History Project, and special guests 1pm 

DJ George Marchelos playing retro music 1pm-6pm 

Dancers from Brooklyn Swings performing and showing us the steps to popular dances of the 1920s and 1950s. Dance the Charleston and the Bop in a public salute to the Wonder Wheel and Spook-A-Rama! 1:30-3:30pm 

Magician Bob Yorburg, performing "Professor Phineas Feelgood's World of Magic" and presenting a band organ tribute to the Wonder Wheel with friends from the Carousel Organ Assn. of America  4-5pm 

West 12th St in front of Coney Island History Project & Walkway to Deno's Wonder Wheel Park 

Special exhibit of historic Spook-A-Rama figures and signs 1-6pm 

Rally of antique hand-cranked band organs and barrel pianos by Thomas Billy, Ian Fraser, Bill Maguire, Commendatore Aldo Mancusi, Buzz Rosa, and other members of the Carousel Organ Assn. of America (COAA) and Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors Assn. (AMICA). Crank a tune and receive a certificate commemorating History Day! 1-6pm 

Be part of living history! Tell us your story! The Coney Island History Project will record visitors who have Coney Island stories for its Oral History Archive. View historic artifacts, photographs, maps, ephemera and films of Coney Island's colorful past at the History Project's exhibit center. Visitors are invited to take free souvenir photos with a Giant Skull from Spook-A-Rama and an original Steeplechase horse from the legendary ride that gave Steeplechase park its name. 1-7pm 

Deno's Wonder Wheel Park

Walk inside the iconic 1960s Astroland Rocket, which was brought home to Coney Island last summer and has a new home in Wonder Wheel Park! 1-6pm 

PLUS The first 100 people who ride the Wonder Wheel will receive a Limited Edition Commemorative Button as a gift. Dress in 1920s garb and get one Free Ride on the Wheel! The Wonder Wheel opens at 12pm

Deno's Wonder Wheel Park and Coney Island History Project
3059 West 12th Street, Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY 11224
D, F, N or Q train to Stillwell Terminal
Phone: 347-702-8553 (Coney Island History Project)
Phone: 718-372-2592 (Deno's Wonder Wheel Park)

http://www.coneyislandhistory.org

http://www.wonderwheel.com

Pictures courtesy of Deno's Wonder Wheel Park or in some cases Coney Island History Project.

 

Photos

  • Spook-A-Rama at Deno's Wonder Wheel Park

  • Coney Island History Project Exhibit Center

  • Magician Bob Yorburg performing

  • Deno's Wonder Wheel and Spook-A-Rama