Step Right Up: Inside Coney Island’s Famed ‘Streets of Cairo’ Sideshow (1890s-1900s)

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Coney Island was a hub of entertainment, drawing crowds with its thrilling amusements and exotic attractions. One of the most talked-about spectacles was ‘The Streets of Cairo’, a sideshow that brought a vision of the Middle East to the shores of Brooklyn. 

Built along Surf Avenue, ‘The Streets of Cairo’ was inspired by the Algerian Village exhibit at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The success of that attraction led to a surge in interest in “Oriental” themes, and Coney Island capitalized on the fascination. The show promised visitors an immersive experience—market stalls, costumed performers, snake charmers, and the famous belly dancers. 

The most enduring piece of ‘The Streets of Cairo’ was its music. The song associated with the exhibit, commonly referred to as ‘The Streets of Cairo’, became instantly recognizable. It featured a distinct melody that is still linked to belly dancing and Arabian fantasies today. While many people have heard the tune, few know its origins are tied to this Coney Island attraction. 

#1 Show at Coney Island with a man “levitating” a woman on stage, 1908.

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#2 Woman gypsy/dancer posing outside at Coney Island, 1896.

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#3 A woman in a carnival or side-show with three large pythons, 1895.

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#4 Beggar among the crowd on Surf Avenue, Coney Island, 1896.

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#5 Crowd wandering through the “Streets of Cairo” show with camels at Coney Island, 1896.

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#6 Arabian Acrobats demonstrating acrobatic feats on the roof of Hammerstein’s Victoria Theatre, 1908.

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#7 The operatic adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s “Salome” with music by Richard Strauss, presented at the Metropolitan Opera House on January 22, 1907.

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#8 Crowd watching a barker at the “Streets of Cairo” show at Coney Island, 1896.

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#9 Woman gypsy/dancer seated in her side-show theatre at Coney Island, 1896.

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