Sideshows by the Seashore is the last continuously operating ten-in-one in America, and this run pairs the resident Coney Island Circus Sideshow with The Cucumber Killerz: Mr. Fang, Aegir the Giant and Unkillable Dave, plus aerial act Obsidian Absurd and outside talker Maggie McMuffin. You get sword swallowing, fire eating and glass walking at close range in a small, gloriously old-fashioned theater a block from the boardwalk.
What to expect
Tickets come from the gift shop at the Surf Avenue entrance, then you file into a small theater where acts run back to back with an emcee stitching the bill together. Expect sword swallowing, fire eating, walking on broken glass and aerial work performed a few feet from the front row, with the cast talking directly to the crowd. Shows repeat through the afternoon, so missing one isn't fatal.
Good to know
- Buy at the Gift Shop at the Surf Avenue entrance, not at the theater door.
- The D, F, N and Q all end at Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue, a block away.
- Billed as family friendly, though the blade and fire acts land best with school-age kids.
- A combo ticket adds the Coney Island Museum upstairs if you want a longer visit.
- The theater is small and gets warm; sitting close is worth it for the detail work.
- Coney Island USA members get in free.
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Common questions
Is the Coney Island Circus Sideshow OK for kids?
Coney Island USA bills the shows as family friendly. The acts involve blades, fire and broken glass performed by professionals, which tends to land best with school-age kids and up.
How many shows run each day?
Four performances run back to back through the afternoon, so you can usually catch one without planning your whole day around it.
Where is the theater?
Sideshows by the Seashore, 1208 Surf Avenue in Coney Island, one block from the boardwalk and the Stillwell Avenue subway terminal.
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