Tomorrow night the Coney Island Film Festival (along with the Coney Island Film Society) will be throwing an all-night gala celebration in order to kick off the summer flick season. It will be at the Angel Orensanz Foundation at 172 Norfolk Street in Brooklyn and it will take place from 7pm to 11pm. There will be an open bar, food stuffs, and dancing, all to the soundtrack of Lady Luck and the Suicide Kings. There will also be dance lessons (!?) with the Brooklyn Bombshells, this way you can petrify your friends with moves other than your classic robot or lawnmower. In addition to that, there's going to be a full carnival-esk attraction montage including...well, I don't feel like writing it all out so read this snippet from the CIFF newsletter:

There's going to be a Photo Booth, Carnival Games of Chance, a Silent Auction, and performers including: the cast of the 2008 Coney Island Circus Sideshow; Miss Coney Island Serpentina, Donny Vomit, Heather Holiday, Angelica, Scott Baker, Nick Knack, Burlesque at the Beach's Bambi the Mermaid and The Great Fredini, Julie Atlas Muz, Tigger, Saturn, The Pontani Sisters, The Peach Tartes, Dirty Martini, Hula Harvest, World Famous *BOB*, Brian Fisherman, Chris McDaniels, as well as Swing Dancing Sirens- The Brooklyn Bombshells, Shelly Watson, the inimitable Reverend Billy, Little Jimmy, Jo Boobs and the graduating class of the New York School of Burlesque, DJ Jeff Jackson, The MINI MERMAID PARADE, and MORE!!

Sounds like fun, no? Tickets for the gala are $100 and VIP tickets go for $250. And just as a reminder, the CIFF's late deadline for film entries is June 25th (postmarked with a $30 entry fee). Visit the fest's site for details and schedules including submission forms and donation opportunities. The festival will be from September 26th to the 28th.