Coney Vintage Vid 1946: A Quick Ride On The Parachute Jump

Here's a rather short vintage clip that takes you back to 1946 Coney Island riding the Parachute Jump.

Uncle Joe and Aunt Carol

Description:
Joe and Carol ride the parachute at Coney Island, September 1946.

Posted by HeywoodMemories [YouTube]

Coney 2010 Season Openers: Lola Star Is Back On The Boardwalk

She may have dropped an 'a' from here name but the Lola Star Boutique is coming back to Coney...twice!  First, after being booted off the boardwalk by Joe Sitt, she's now right back on it.  Second, her long awaited store, 'The Lola Star Surf Boutique', at the Stillwell Station will be opening up in the Spring.  A new hot pink gateway to Coney Island. 

The re-opening of the boardwalk store will be this April. 3rd and the opening celebration on April 10th. 

The Lola Star Souvenir Boutique is going to be even more fabulous then before with a dazzling array of new treasures, tee shirts and Coney Island memorabelia!!

Visit the Lola Star website for all the new Coney goodies coming up for this season!

And don't forget the Lola Star Dreamland Roller Rink also opening for the season this spring, which includes a third store; the Lola Star Dreamland Boutique!

Creating The Ruby's Gate Murals SlideShow

Images by Rubys Host

Markowitz Seeks Operator For His Beautiful Potato Chip

Image courtesy of Grimshaw Architects

The NYC Department of Park And Recreation has issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) in seeking operators for the 5,000 seat shell-shaped amphitheater in Coney Island’s Asser Levy Park. The plan for the performing arts facility, which received controversy in the Spring of last year, by a few synagogues in the neighborhood, entails more than just a classy clam shell by the sea. The park will get major renovations with infrastructural upgrades to the frequent flooding problem, new paths and walk-ways adored with beautiful foliage among the parks collection of long-time trees. Also planned is an upgrade to the playground, a new park house, and community facilities. The reconstruction expands across the street to the chess table area and the hand-ball courts.

In part of Markowitz’s press release statement he states:

Said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, “This project means Asser Levy Seaside Park will be not only a welcoming eastern gateway to a revitalized Coney Island, but a place where families in the community and visitors can enjoy relaxation, recreation and the vibrant cultural programming that has been the Park’s hallmark since at least the turn of the twentieth century.”

BP Markowitz adds, “The possibilities are endless—music has always thrived in this location, and I imagine this new venue being a wonderful home for a summer residency for a philharmonic or a ballet company. I am hopeful that, as in the case of Brooklyn’s Loew’s Kings theater earlier this year, this Request for Expressions of Interest yields creative responses leading to a partnership that will provide for innovative and successful programming, maintenance and operation of the facility in the years to come.”

Curbed remains convinced they haven’t heard the end of the controversy.

The due date is Friday, May 07, 2010 @ 3:00 PM with a Site Tour on Friday, April 16, 2010 @ 10:00 AM

Download full RFEI (registration required)

Coney Amphitheater Seeks Operator; Marty Markowitz Is Bored   [Curbed]

More images after the jump

Coney Island USA 2010 Spring Gala Photo Gallery By Robert And Robbie Bailey

Photographs by Robert & Robbie Bailey

Click here to view images

Coney Events: Ruby's Bar & Grill Season Openner And Master Mural

Image courtesy of Rubys Host (Flckr.com)

This Saturday, Ruby's Bar and Grill opens its new mural gates for the season. Lots is planned for the most anticipated Coney Island season in decades: Karaoke Nights , (TBD), Game Trivia Nights, plus other new exciting things in the works coming up! Also this Palm Sunday join Mermaid Hawley, Heartbreaker Robert Bluesman Ross, Alan BBQ Nunez, Johanna Taylor and Sarah Finks in unavailing and honoring Master with a new mural of him.

Image courtesy of Rubys Host (Flckr.com)

Rubys' Bar and Grill Opening Day
Saturday, March 27th 2010
at 12 noon Ruby's Opens for seasonon the world famous Coney Island boardwalk

Ruby's Bar and Grill
"Salute to Master"
Sunday, March 28th 2010
at 2pm
on the world famous Coney Island boardwalk

Flickr Convoy: Ruby's Metal Mural

Image courtesy of Rubys Host / KC Flickr Pool

Bambi Mermaid Save Coney Island mural on the metal pulldown gates of Ruby's Bar & Grill

Join the Kinetic Carnival Flickr Group to add your Coney Island images and have them featured on this blog.

Coney Vid: A Dream Through Our Recent Passed Coney Island

Pass through this wonderful little video like a melancholy dream.  A rather sad look at a recent Coney, before the death of Astroland.  Take it in and savor it, because it's the Coney of our recent past that has now gone, as we await for the new Coney that will arrive this summer.

I Had A Dream I Went To Coney Island

Description:

NYC's soon to be re-developed Coney Island amusement park is a surrealist technicolour dream seen on grainy super 8 film and featuring music by Panda Bear.

Posted by happyflaneur [YouTube]

Reminder: Coney Island USA 2010 Spring Gala Tomorrow!

It's been 30 Freakin' Years!  Don't miss it!

Get the last minute info here!

Amos Wengler: The Troubadour Of Coney Island's New Website

Often known as the Troubadour and the bard of Coney Island, Songster, Amos Wengler has, for the last couple of decades, provided the soundtrack for this world-famous fabled piece of land known as Coney Island. World famous himself, Amos can be seen every year at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest on the big stage strumming his guitar and crooning out his love for Coney Island.  He’s also a presence at almost all of Coney Island’s events, especially those that are meant to save his beloved land.  He’s also been a long-time Coney Island Polar Bear and even has a song for that.   He’s a can’t-miss at the Mermaid Parade every year, which he has a catchy diddy for that too.

Now the Coney Island Troubadour has a new blog to get his word out.

Wengler’s bio states (MySpace):

Moved to the US from Isreal when I was 10, the British invasion caught my attention and by the age of 16 I found myself with a guitar and began the process of creating music. Started out playing on the streets of New York in the west village, then moved around and found myself in New Orleans as a Busker, then over to Amsterdam where I performed in a musical comedy that I co-wrote called “Welcome to Transylvania”. One of the tracks from the show was picked up and recorded by EMI. Eventually I returned home and made Brooklyn my home. When I returned back to the US I recorded with Henry Hirsh at Waterfront Studios, where I recorded the tracks “Polar Bear” “Mermaid Parade” and “The Same Mistake” which was published the Rainbow Collection. Today I have written over 100 songs, and continue to perform on the boardwalk as the Bard of Coney Island, where you will see me performing at the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, The Swims of the Coney Island Polar Bear Club, and a weekly regular at the Stillwell Ave Station as a performer for the MTA for Music Under New York Program.

Last year in May his 1989 video was featured here in KC. Twenty years ago in a before the Coney redevelopment saga a younger Amos Wengler strumming and yodeling to the tune of Coney.

The Mermaid Parade - Amos Wengler
Description:

World famous Amos Wengler sings his smash hit - The Mermaid Parade on the boardwalk at Coney Island way back in 1989. THis is from the documentary film Mermaids on Parade by Terry Murphy

Posted by ratfink43 [YouTube]

Visit the Amos Wengler Blog

Video Rewind: A Little Carnival Of 70's Coney Footage

A few rare scenes from "Carnival of Blood" (1970).  Catch a few passing frames of the sky ride's station from Astroland at frame 1:39.  Also another Ferris wheel in Coney called "Skydive", and a differently painted AstroTower.

Coney Island - Carnival of Blood (1970)

Posted by CashCrateWork  [YouTube]

Public Hearing For Two Key Coney Island Structures To Be Landmarked

Images courtesy of masnyc (Flickr.com)

This March 23rd, a public hearing by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission for the consideration of two structures in Coney Island to be designated as landmark status.  The two key buildings are the Shore Theater and the other Childs Building that is now the home of the cultural arts organization, Coney Island USA.  The public and all Coney Island supporters are urged to present themeselves for support and to make your testimonies heard.  Both these structures are an integral part and vital in the redevelopment of Coney Island to link the area's rich history among the coming renaissance.

More information about these two buildings can be found at the 'Save Coney Island' website.  Details on the hearings are also found on the SCI site which indicates the following:

Landmarks Preservation Commission

Municipal Building

1 Centre Street, 9th Floor

New York, NY 10007  

You will need to show an ID and got through a metal detector.  If you are testifying, you need to fill out a form once you get to the hearing room.  There is not time limit for your testimony.  But you should keep it brief and to the point.  You can find more information about the buildings here.

When:
March 23rd, 2010
The Child's/Coney Island USA building is scheduled for 11:55 am - 12:15 pm
The Shore Theater is scheduled for 12:15 - 12:35 pm.They recommend that you arrive about a half-hour early.

Remember, these are two very important and limited pieces that link to Coney's magical past.  Please, show your support and make your voices heard.

Coney Events: NY Aquarium's 4D Experience For The Season Opens

This March 20th, the New York Aquarium starts it 4D experience with Planet Earth: Shallow Seas. The Immersion Theatre is a combination for visual 3D with added sensory effects that are built into your theater seats. 4D is a theater experience now popular at the world's largest theme parks like Disney and Universal. Be prepared for water mist, air blasts on the back of your necks, bubbles, leg ticklers, whiffs of smells, and floor lighting as well as vibrations in your seat. All this in Coney Island's NY Aquarium.

Excerpt from the NY Aquarium press release:

This epic 4-D adventure gives guests the opportunity to hear the power of the ocean's waves as they crash along the shoreline. “Adventurers” will feel the salty spray as they surf the coast with Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in search of food while gliding alongside a cast of balletic sea lions diving through vast swirling bait balls of anchovy.  Meanwhile, aquarium-goers can track a mother humpback whale and her calf as they navigate from their tropical nursery to the Arctic Circle. And, participants will be able to experience the greatest gathering of seabirds and whales ever captured in Digital HD.

New York Aquarium's Immersion Theater presents:

Planet Earth: Shallow Seas

Opens March 20, 2010

The experience is $6 per person, $4 for members

(718) 265-3474

Surf Avenue and W 8th Street (W. Eighth St.)
Brooklyn, NY 11224

Be The First 100 Cyclone Coaster Riders Who Ride For Free

Image courtesy of Photo-John Flickr.com

As the Coney Island 2010 summer season blasts off to what promises to be the best summer of the decade, start your summer engines by jumping on the Cyclone Rollercoaster for free if you're among the first 100 riders.

From the Cyclone press release:

Brooklyn, NY, March 15, 2010—The world-famous Coney Island Cyclone is revved up and ready to roll for the 2010 season on Sunday, March 28, at 12:00 noon. Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz will crack a bottle of egg cream on the Cyclone’s first car as an array of New York City dignitaries and Coney Island fans cheer in celebration. Festivities begin at 11:30 a.m. with the musical pageantry of the Hungry March Band, New York City’s magical street brass march band.

For more details visit the Cyclone website.

Freak Storm Wreaks Havoc In Coney Island

Image courtesy of Capt Nemo

This past Friday, an unexpected freak force tumbled through most of the borough and other parts of New York City causing havoc, uprooting trees, ripping off parts of buildings, causing squashed cars and frightened people.  Coney Island was not spared.

Image courtesy of Capt Nemo

As Coney’s roving eye, Captain Nemo captures, a tree kills a car not far across from Lincoln High School on Ocean Parkway, as well the front awning of the Coney Island USA Museum entrance.

Sideshow and Burlesque Impresario and Extraordinaire, Fred Kahl posted images on his Facebook, of the destruction caused by Coney’s freak storm via his mobile phone.

Images courtesy of Fred Kahl

Rob Leddy, also posted on the CIUSA board a link to photos of Coney Island Ink's Facebook of their establishment destroyed by the storm.

Unfortunately, the only thing looking like it took a pounding but really didn’t were the Thor Equities fences that were supposed to be removed early this Month.  They stood up to the winds due to their vast pockets of ripped out holes that have been rotting there since last season’s Sumer of Hope 2.0, Thor Equities’ style.

Image courtesy of Capt Nemo

The good fortune is that Coney Island wasn't destroyed by the freak strom as it has been by the one company that partially destroyed it though at the same time did help put Coney back on the back as an important place in the borough to be taken seriously which lead to it's coming rennaisance.  And as we feature on this blog every year here is a look at a dramatised destruction of Coney.  Well, not so dramatised....Welcome to Thorasick Park!

The Destruction Of Coney Island "Thorasick Park"

Flickr Convoy: The Passing Of A Snowy Coney Season

Image courtesy of Rubys Host / KC Flickr Pool

This winter season brought tons of chills and snowfalls powdering the Coney landscape.  But when the beautiful Coney winter begins to depart we begin to look forward to a vibrant summer.  Especially, this summer. which promises to be a  new start for Coney Island.  Pull down on your safety bars...Zamperla is coming!

Join the Kinetic Carnival Flickr Group to add your Coney Island images and have them featured on this blog.

Reminder: Coney Island USA Gala! 30 Freakin' Years!

Coney Vid: Developer Describes Plans For New Coney Island Park

Developer Describes Plans For New Coney Island Park


Posted by sltube7 [YouTube]

Coney Events: Coney Lecture At The New School

JL Aronson, an award winning filmmaker's upcoming documentary is in the completion phase before making its way into the film festival circuit this year.  There is still time to be a part of this film by being a producer.

Next week at the New School for Social Research about Coney Island's past, present, and future.

Save Coney Island quotes:

"It was a legendary Sodom by the sea then finally a sad clinging reminder of yesterday. That is, until it became the center of a major real estate battle. Stuart Pertz, fellow of the Institute of American Architects and member of a Municipal Art Society's Coney Island committee, discusses this historic playground's past, present and potential future."

Free Coney Island Lecture at the New School
Friday, March 12
Note: This is an RSVP is required:

Fridays @ One Lectures - Coney Island: An Amazing Ride
Friday, March 12, 1:00 p.m.
Theresa Lang Community and Student Center
Arnhold Hall, 55 West 13th Street, 2nd floor
RSVP to irp@newschool.edu or call 212.229.5682

One Year Anniversary Of The Passing Of Brooklyn's Blogfather

In a place considered the bloggiest place on the planet, the blogosphere has mourned the passing of their Blogfather, founder of the original Gowanus Lounge for the past year. Today marks one year since Robert Guskind passed away. Guskind was a strong and loud voice for Brooklyn and for Coney Island. He always surprised the online community with how he was able to report on his borough at the rate that he did. He was a also a true Coney lover who voiced his concerns for the fate of Coney Island on his remarkable blog: The Gowanus Lounge.


There was no blogger like him and yet so. His passion was an inspiration for many bloggers and neighborhood activists in Brooklyn.

Coney Music A Coney Cowboy

Coney Island Cowboy

Description:

The title track from the CD "Coney Island Cowboy" by Sean Kershaw & the New Jack Ramblers, shot on location around Coney Island and onstage at the Sideshow aka Coney Island USA; by Hansi Oppenheimer, Troubled Girl Films; with a cast paid mostly in beer or not at all cuz they just happened to be there.

Posted by coneyislcowboy  [YouTube]

Coney Island USA Gala Has Changed Venue

The Coney Island USA 30th Anniversary spring gala for 2010 has had a change in venue. The gala will not be held any longer at the M2 Lounge as previously announced. The new venue will now be at Angel Orensanz Foundation. The full address is below.

From Coney Island USA:

Please join us in celebrating Coney Island USA's 30th Anniversary at this year's Spring Fundraising Gala. All proceeds go directly towards funding CIUSA’s many unique programs and the fight to preserve Coney Island’s historic amusement district.

For the full details visit Coney Island USA

Thursday March 25th 2010

7-11pm

At Angel Orensanz Foundation

172 Norfolk St.

New York, NY 10002

Cocktails and Hors D’oeuvres will be served.

Coney Vid: Polish Commercial In Coney

This spot shot in Coney Island is for some Polish fashion company, but not sure since it's not translated here.  It's always nice to see anything professionally done in Coney, anyway.

CCC | Coney Island

Description (Poland):

Jesienna kampania butów CCC, realizowana w 40 stopniowym upale na nowojorskiej Coney Island. Część zdjęć odbyła ...

Posted by PapayaFilmsPoland  [YouTube]

'Our' Domain Name Swiped Down And Under By A Film Festival?

For about a year we attempted to obtain a dot.com for this blog but it was owned for and unavailable by some Australian company.  Now, we finally, found out it was for an Australian film festival with the same name as this blog.  It's nice to have a film festival to share our name but we were bummed out about not having the dot.com domain we were trying to purchase for the longest time.  Oh well, we had to settle for the next best thing...

 

The old blogspot domain is still functional of course.  The new domain will be forwarded here, anyway.

These are the little nice bludgers...

Flickr Convoy: Finally! Ahh, A Hot Slice Of Coney Pizza In Mid-Winter!

Image courtesy of  Barry Yanowitz  / KC Flickr Pool

After a fire damaged and closed Totonno's Pizza in Coney Island last fall but thankfully, is not restored and open for business for this snowy cold bursting winter.

Join the Kinetic Carnival Flickr Group to add your Coney Island images and have them featured on this blog.

Note: Kinetic Carnival can now also be reached via www.KineticCarnivalblog.com