side ‧ show /ˈsaɪdʃəʊ $ -ʃoʊ/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
1 . a separate small part of a ↑ fair or ↑ circus , where you pay to play games or watch a performance
2 . an event that is much less important or serious than another one:
The initial conflict was a mere sideshow compared with the World War that followed.