March 24, 2006

Organ grinders, monkeys will return to Coney Island

When Coney Island winds up for this year's summer season, the once-illegal organ grinders will be back on the boardwalk - dancing monkeys included.

Street organs, calliopes, player pianos and tanzibars will all be on display at the First Annual Coney Island USA Band Organ Rally on April 9th from noon to 6 p.m. on Coney Island's West 12th Street.

The Daily News explains why they were banned seven decades ago by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia

But in a bid to stamp out Italian stereotypes, LaGuardia banned the instruments from the streets.

"This was cranked up by every Italian immigrant who came to the United States, until it became so noisy that Fiorello LaGuardia had to shut 'em down," said Aldo Mancusi of the Molinari organs that were made in southwest Brooklyn.

March 24, 2006 03:09 PM in History, Kids, Out of Manhattan, Sightsology

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