Star of Brooklyn: Dick Zigun
“The Unofficial Mayor of Coney Island”
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Coney Island owes much of its “light hearted pleasure” to none other than Dick Zigun. Many may know him as the “unofficial mayor” of Coney Island, often dressing in an antique bathing suit or vintage mayor’s top hat. But behind the entertaining appearance, is a hard working, dedicated community activist who believes Coney Island is more than just a tourist attraction.
Zigun, artistic director of a non-profit organization called “Coney Island USA” founded in 1980, is an authority on amusement parks, American popular theater, and the history and tradition of the American sideshow. He got very involved in 2009 when the Bloomberg administration rezoned Coney Island. This allowed him to become much more involved than your average advocate in making Coney Island a better place.