ðə tɹɐdˈɪʃən bɪɡˈæn ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi θɹˈiː, wˌɛn ðə fˈɜːst ᵻvˈɛnt ʌv ðɪs kˈaɪnd wʌz kənsˈɛptʃuːəlˌaɪzd ænd ˈɔːɹɡənˌaɪzd baɪ dˈɪk zˈɪɡʌn, ðə fˈaʊndɚɹ ʌvðə nˈɑːnpɹˈɑːfɪt ˈɑːɹts ˌɔːɹɡɐnᵻzˈeɪʃən kənˈaɪ ˈaɪlənd jˌuːˌɛsˈeɪ, hˌuː ɪz sˈʌmtaɪmz dˈʌbd ðə "mˈeɪɚɹ ʌv kənˈaɪ ˈaɪlənd.
The tradition began in 1983, when the first event of this kind was conceptualized and organized by Dick Zigun, the founder of the non-profit arts organization Coney Island USA, who is sometimes dubbed the "Mayor of Coney Island.