Coney Island Mardi Gras

Object Type

Documentary photograph

Date of Creation

1936

Themes

amusement parks, theaters, avenues, floats (vehicles), black-and-white photographs

Places

Surf Avenue, Looking East, RKO Tilyou Theater, Steeplechase Park, Loews Shore Theater

Related

Looking east down Surf Avenue

This photo shows floats parading down Surf Avenue in front of Steeplechase Park. The RKO Tilyou theater (owned by the family who started, owned and operated Steeplechase) is on the immediate left side of the photo. The Loews Shore Theater (at Stillwell and Surf; the building still exists) is the tall building in the background on the left side of the photo.

The Coney Island Mardi Gras was a week-long celebration started early in the 20th century. It was a yearly event until the second World War, then returned in the 50's for a few years. With the decline of Coney in the 60's the parade was abandoned, to be revived as the single day "Mermaid Parade" in the 1980's.



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