OLD VENUES
1896-1953 - DANCING PAVILION - Many famous artists of the big band era played here before it burned in the Fire Of 1953. 1954-1968 - PATIO GARDENS - Now the Game Time arcade, this was once the place to watch The Beach Boys or the Rolling Stones. 1983-19__ - VILLAGE GREEN STAGE - A stage that used to be in the Village Green in Pioneer Village. 1968-1989 - LAGOON OPERA HOUSE - This theater still stands, closed to the public. It used to feature broadway plays & rock concerts.
CURRENT VENUES
1981 - CAROUSEL THEATRE - At least 2 long-running music-based shows have been showcased here. 1982 - LAGOON MUSIC THEATRE - Originally named Music USA Theatre. It's an outdoor theater, but rain doesn't always stop the show. 1998 - THE BIG SHOE - A small stage next to the Big Shoe in Kiddieland. Read more about it below.
TEMPORARY VENUES
To read more about each show below, look it up here.
MADE IN THE SHADE STAGE 1998-2003
Notes: Originally referred to as the '57 Chevy Stage, this wasn't really a stage. For the first two years, they performed near a '57 Chevrolet. In 2000, that was exchanged for a psychadelic Volkswagen van. The G.I. Jam shows featured a camouflaged military truck.
Here's a list of each show from every year.
1998 - Pep Rallies: Be Boppin'
1999 - The Hot Rods
2000 - Flower Power
2001 - Flower Power
2002 - G.I. Jam On Patrol
2003 - G.I. Jam On Patrol
DAVIS PAVILION
1993-1993
Lagoon On Ice was an actual ice skating show during the 1993 season. The Davis Pavilion was transformed into an ice rink. It featured Olympic figure skaters and the Lagoon Characters. According to Sid, the stage and the teal & pink curtains in the pavilion are the only remaining elements of Lagoon On Ice. I don't know if it lasted the whole season or how often it showed. If you know anymore, email me.
SOUTH END STAGE
1996-1996
THE BIG SHOE
Opened: 1999
Location: At the Big Shoe in Kiddieland.
Notes: They actually built a small stage here, right next to the Big Shoe. Dinky The Clown had a magic show here for 2 years. In 2001-2003, no shows were featured here. Elliot's Imagination Adventure was planned to be here in 2004, but was changed to the nearby Carousel Theatre.
TRAVELING ENTERTAINMENT In the 1980s and '90s, it was not unusual to hear a band of musicians roaming around the park. They were absent, however, after 1999. A new band has finally started back up. The new Lake Park Brass Band began in 2005.
Lagoon characters were people in animal costumes. As one member, SoaddictedtoLagoon said on the message boards, "There was Skeeter Bear, kind of looked like the Icee polar bear. Then Rascal Racoon, Earl E. Bird the Early bird, and of course Puff. One year (90 or 91) they had Flappy the Flamingo, which was a puppet attached to the arm of a person who used their arm to operate his mouth." The Lagoon Characters stopped entertaining guests in 1996 or 1997. Listed here are the different kinds of traveling entertainment from 1989 to present.
1989 - All-Star Band
Lagoon Characters
1990 - All-Star Band
L.A. Goon Band
Lagoon Characters
1991 - All-Star Band L.A. Goon Band
Lagoon Characters
1992 - All-Star Band L.A. Goon Band
Lagoon Characters
1993 - All-Star Band L.A. Goon Band
Lagoon Characters
1994 - All-Star Band L.A. Goon Band
Lagoon Characters
1995 - All-Star Band L.A. Goon Band
Lagoon Characters
1996 - L.A. Goon Band
Lagoon Characters
Cleanup Crew
Barbershop Quartet
1997 -
1998 - Bad Boy Brothers Band
Toon Goons
1999 - Bad Boy Brothers Band
Dinky The Clown
Streetbeat
2000 - Dinky The Clown
2001 - Dinky The Clown?
2002 - Dinky The Clown?
2005 - Lake Park Brass Band