Coney Island comes to the South Bank

The South Bank is to be transformed into a 21st-century version of Coney Island, New York's circus and freak playground, for a new festival.

London Wonderground will see a giant 600-seat spiegeltent as the centrepiece of a programme of cabaret, music, sideshow and circus that will run from the beginning of May until the end of September.

Ed Bartlam, director of organiser Underbelly, said: "Coney Island was a real playground for the people. It really assaulted the senses and that is what we want to create next year."

There will be free entertainment alongside paid-for acts.