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Folks raised in New Orleans during much of the 20th century all remember the place where everyone went for fun and fantasy-Ponchartrain Beach!  Opened in 1939 on the shore of Lake Ponchartrain, the city's first amusement park became the spot to see and be seen riding the Wild Maüs and Zephyr  rollercoasters, and the whirling platform of The Bug.  Many people still remember with pride celebrating their senior proms at Bali Ha'i on the Beach, invariably producing photos of themselves and their dates in front of The Clown. The shows at Ponchartrain Beach were also a draw, featuring daredevils, musical acts, and the main attraction, Merlin Rainbow, the mascot for the park.  Several times each day, Merlin Rainbow performed his magic act with his two lovely assistants.  From 1974 to 1977, Edward R. took over the role of Merlin, as well as performing in the Summer Spectacular stage show.  Memorabilia from this time period is exceedingly rare-to the best of our knowledge these are the among the very few existing images of both Merlin Rainbow and the Summer Spectacular. If you have any images from the park, or Merlin Rainbow merchandise you would like to share, please E-mail Edward R.!

As it turns out, 1984 wasn't the best year for World Fairs.  Both fairs that year (in Knoxville, TN and again in New Orleans) were financial and civic fiascoes. However, some fond memories of the New Orleans fair do exist, and Edward R. has most of them!  Edward R. was in the Italian Village as a member of the cast of Pinocchio Commedia, a retelling of the classic Carlos Collodi tale done in the commedia d'el arté style.  Parts of the Italian Village still remain in the Central Business District, and plans are underway to renovate the area for housing while preserving the architecture.  Like Ponchartrain Beach, memorabilia is exceedingly rare.  If you have any images of the Italian Village or from a performance of Pinocchio Commedia, please e-mail Edward R. here.

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