Kings Island Celebrates 50th Birthday With Day-Long Celebration

Exactly five decades after opening its gates for the first time on April 29, 1972, guests arrived at Kings Island amusement park today to be part of its 50th anniversary event.

Thousands were on hand to take part in the celebration which included free birthday buttons, paper crown hats, as well as commemorative park maps for the day.

The park guide included a map of the original attractions from opening day at Kings Island. If you missed out, you’re in luck! We have extras and will be giving some of these away on our socials.

The day-long event kicked off with former Kings Island associate and Broadway performer and actor Alton Fitzgerald White singing the National Anthem and a ribbon cutting by the first family to enter the park in 1972.

Kings Island Vice President and General Manager Mike Koontz kicked off the festivities.

“Today we are celebrating the past 50 years of family fun, thrilling rides, great food and amazing entertainment,” said Kings Island Vice President and General Manager Mike Koontz. “But more than that, we are celebrating the people who made those years remarkable, the generations of guests who have come through our turnstiles and our associates who helped them make lasting memories.

The morning re-dedication ceremony was led by Koontz, who welcomed current and former Kings Island and Cedar Fair leadership to speak about Kings Island’s legacy and future. This included Gary Wachs, the first General Manager of Kings Island.

State of Ohio’s Lt. Governor Jon Husted presented a proclamation as well.

“For 50 years, Kings Island has provided thrills and fun as one of the leading travel destinations in Ohio,” said Lt. Governor Jon Husted. “Over that time, millions of Ohioans and people from out of state have traveled to Kings Island and spent their entertainment dollars on lodging, local restaurants and at the park itself, creating thousands of jobs for students and opportunities for local businesses.”

Alton Fitzgerald White and Don Miller are the newest members of the Kings Island Hall of Fame, both were inducted today during a ceremony on International Street. You can read their full stories here, on the Kings Island Blog.

Local marching bands and dance teams were on hand along with the Peanuts characters to perform and interact with park guests at the base of the iconic Eiffel Tower.

After the morning portion of festivities, guests were treated to a free slice of birthday cake prepared by the Kings Island culinary team! The cake consisted of 24 sheet cakes covered in 60lbs of delicious butter cream frosting. The centerpiece was a Rice Crispy treat that looked like the Eiffel Tower standing over two feet tall.

Hi-Fi Honey and River City provided live music on the bandstand stage keeping the festive atmosphere going well into the evening.

To continue the 50th anniversary season, Kings Island’s Golden Celebration kicks off Memorial Day weekend. The summer-long event will feature brand new entertainment highlighting special moments from Kings Island’s history and unique culinary dishes created just for the Golden Anniversary year. We tried a few of them already and can say they are delicious! We especially liked the King Cobra sushi! (available at the Brewhouse).

The Diamondback Bites were delicious too. They are empanadas stuffed with jalapeños, bacon, cheese, and with a pepper avocado ranch sauce. Available at the Brewhouse.

There’s a plethora of new sweets available at Sweet Spot on International Street, including an Orion cream puff with cream made from the blue ice cream concentrate, deconstructed cake cups, chocolate Oreo medallions, an entirely new fudge counter, and these 50th anniversary cupcakes!

A one-of-a-kind, immersive fireworks show featuring thrilling and heartwarming moments from the park’s first 50 years also kicks off memorial day weekend.