The Coney Island Museum is celebrating P.T. Barnum’s 200th birthday. Here are the details:

If P.T. Barnum had lived he would have turned 200 years old on July 5 of this year, which is about the age he once claimed Joice Heth, George Washington’s nurse was.

In observance of the fact, on the Glorious Fourth (one day early) at 4:30pm Trav S.D. will speak a piece at the Coney Island Museum. The topic of his lecture will be the legacy of Barnum and Barnumism (bunkum, hokum, humbug and hooey) in vaudeville and show business in general.

And because, showmanship is the name of the game, he will be joined by the great Lorinne Lampert, a.k.a., Uke-Lola – tap-dancing; song-singing, uke-playing, juggling vaudevillian extraordinaire.

(The host may do a turn or two himself along with other special guests TBA.)

What better place to spend the 4th than Coney Island? Watch the hot dog eating contest! Ride the rides! Go for a dip! And then come see the real dips at our presentation!

And, if you can’t make the show, tune in to the swell Barnum radio documentary by James Rana, featuring Trav S.D., Todd Robbins, and many others. Various NPR affiliates are carrying it, including WFDU-FM, which will run it at 8am on the 4th. (If you don’t get it in your area, ALL radio stations stream online nowadays, ya doofus!)

Trav S.D and Friends – A Barnum Bicentenary: Talk and performance by Trav S.D. and friends in observance of P.T. Barnum’s 200th birthday

When: July 4, 4:30pm
Where: 1208 Surf Avenue (near West 12th Street) (The Coney island Museum is on the 2nd Floor)
Admission: $5 for public, free for members of Coney Island USA
More info: http://www.coneyisland.com/museum.shtml