History Day Celebrates Coney Island’s Immigrant Heritage

On June 9th, the Eighth Annual History Day presented by the Coney Island History Project in partnership with Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park pays tribute to Coney Island’s immigrant heritage with live entertainment from 3pm-6pm on the Boardwalk Stage in front of Deno’s.

Performers include Brighton Ballet Theater School of Russian Ballet, local students from ballet school founded by Irina Roizin performing classical ballet and Ukrainian folk dance (3:00PM); Gaston “Bonga” Jean-Baptiste, Master Haitian drummer (3:45PM); New York Music and Dance Organization, Bensonhurst-based Chinese dance troupe founded by Julia Liu (4:30PM); and Mariachi Real de Mexico de Ramon Ponce, New York’s premier mariachi (5:30PM). Also featured are DJ Dan Kingman, guest performers representing diverse cultures, and table-top displays including the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, the Center for Traditional Dance and Music, and other cultural organizations. History Day will be hosted by Deno John Vourderis of Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park and Charles Denson of the Coney Island History Project.

“For more than a century, Coney Island served as the true historic ‘melting pot’ for New York City’s immigrant population,” said Charles Denson, executive director of the Coney Island History Project. “It remains a place of great diversity, where people of small means enjoy an affordable day of free recreation on the beach and Boardwalk. Coney Island continues to be a destination for immigrants, the place to assimilate with people of all nationalities. It’s where they finally find true freedom and become Americans.”