America’s First Amusement Park is gearing up for its end of season celebrations. Lake Compounce will close out the 2024 season with a fireworks spectacular on Sunday, December 29 at 8 p.m. so Guests can marvel at the spectacular show above the lake after a heart-warming visit to the park’s 12th annual Holiday Lights, Southern New England’s Only Theme Park Holiday Event.
Then on December 31, families are invited to ring in the new year Lake Compounce style as the park countsdown to 8 p.m. during its annual Kids New Year’s Eve Bash presented by PepsiCo. Kiddos are invited to dance the night away at a bubble dance party with their favorite characters, enjoy sweet holiday treats, and countdown with everyone to 8 p.m. with a free juice box toast courtesy of PepsiCo.
The party is a part of Holiday Lights at Lake Compounce and will run from 6 – 8 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31 inside the Starlight Theatre. Admission to Kids’ New Year’s Eve is included free with park admission.
Holiday Lights runs daily through Dec 31; Thursday, Sunday, Monday & Tuesday from 3 – 8 p.m. Friday & Saturday from 3 – 9 p.m. Tickets are available online for as low as $19.99.
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Quassy Amusement and Waterpark, Middlebury, Conn., will soon take delivery of its new Wave Swinger from Wooddesign Amusement Rides BV, The Netherlands, Quassy President Eric Anderson told Amusement Today.
“The first two of the four containers have been shipped and we should have them in a few weeks,” Anderson said.
The Wave Swinger is one of two new rides being installed by the family-owned park for 2025. Quassy is also adding a spinning coaster from Italian manufacturer SBF/Visa Group, represented in the U.S. by Rides-4-U, Somerville, N.J.
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RIVERVIEW, Fla. — David “Doc” Cooksey Rivera — a talented artist, historian, showman, and Mason — passed away at his home on December 14, 2024, at the age of 77.
Born on September 28, 1947, in San Diego, California, Rivera lived a life as full and colorful as the carnival murals he painted. His early years were shaped by the steadfast love of his grandparents, who raised him until he was 12. Afterward, he briefly stayed with an uncle in Indiana, where a basement filled with circus billboards sparked his lifelong passion for the carnival world. At a young age, Rivera discovered a “new language” in those vibrant advertisements, charting the course for his future and fueling a dream that would take him across every state, many countries, and oceans.
A veteran and voracious reader, David was a man of endless curiosity, intellect, and adventure.
Rivera was a dedicated Freemason, serving as Worshipful Master of De Soto Lodge 105 F&AM in Riverview, Florida, and as a member of the York Rite Masonic Body. He was also a passionate historian and artist, known for his large-scale murals and, as the Executive Director of the International Independent Showmen’s Museum, where he preserved and celebrated the history of the outdoor amusement business. Over his 14 years in the role, he also wrote numerous articles and was nearly finished with a three-part documentary on the American carnival, solidifying his legacy as a chronicler of this vibrant piece of Americana. His wife Debbie plans to finish the documentary in his honor.
David often said he had done everything he ever wanted to do, and his life was proof of that sentiment. Humble yet accomplished, hardworking yet free-spirited, he embodied generosity and wisdom. His sharp wit and adventurous soul left an indelible mark on everyone he met.
David was preceded in death by his parents, his grandparents, and his sister Debbie. He is survived by his devoted wife, Debbie, daughters Marie and Virginia, grandchildren Mark, Sierra, Ty, Maddox, and Dallas, great-grandchildren Alexis and Braxton, and stepchildren Stacey and Sam.
Though he has passed, the stories, murals, and memories he leaves behind will continue to inspire and delight generations to come. David’s vibrant spirit will live on in the lives of those he touched and the legacy he built as an artist, historian, showman, and friend.
A celebration of David’s extraordinary life will be held December 20th, 2024 at 1 pm at the International Independent Showman’s Museum at 6938 Riverview Drive, Riverview, Florida 33578.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the International Independent Showmen’s Museum in his honor.
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This holiday season, LEGOLAND Resorts in California, Florida and New York are joining the other seven LEGOLAND Resorts worldwide to invite guests to take part in the LEGO Group’s annual Build To Give campaign. This heart-building initiative brings joy to children in need while offering playful experiences that help develop essential life skills like creativity, communication, and confidence.
As part of the Parks’ holiday events, guests can visit the Build To Give workshops at each location to create LEGO hearts of all sizes. By sharing their creations on Instagram, Facebook, X and LinkedIn with the hashtag #BuildToGive, they support a greater cause: for every heart created and shared, the LEGO Group will donate a LEGO set to a child. Since 2017, the LEGO Group has donated millions of sets to children in hospitals, underserved communities and children’s homes across 24 countries, spreading the superpower of play and creativity.
Additionally, guests visiting the Resorts can enjoy festive holiday celebrations across all LEGOLAND Parks. Holidays at LEGOLAND® presented by Hallmark Channel at LEGOLAND Florida and California and LEGOLAND New York Holiday Bricktacular presented by Hallmark Channel is happening now on select dates. Guests can also add some merrymaking to their visit by checking out the LEGO Christmas tree, seasonal shows, cheerful LEGO characters, and indulging in festive food and beverage offerings. Activities are included with general Park admission and select Annual Passes.
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MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Just in time for the holidays, PB Amusement, LLC and Spirello BV has teamed up to donate nearly 9,750 pounds of Spirello (the only Pre-Cut, Pre-Fried, Pre-Frozen, Spiral Potato-on-a-Stick) to Table to Table, a 25-year-old New Jersey’s food rescue organization. Pete Barto, President of PB Amusement, LLC said, “Robert Luttjehuizen (Owner, Spirello BV in the Netherlands) and I had discussed a few ideas for making positive use of some extra product we had on hand at the end of the season and settled on donating it to a community organization that serves more than 250 community organizations in the area.” According to the Table to Table website (www.tabletotable.org), the non-profit organization has provided delivery of healthy foods that has helped create more than 300 million meals for food pantries, food banks, shelters, day care/after school programs and senior centers that serve people who are food insecure and economically disadvantaged in northern NJ.
Spirello has been popular product at some of the largest parks in Europe for many years, producing several hundred thousand Spirellofor amusement park guests seeking a unique, quick, on-the-go, hot, savory snack alternative to traditional french fries. Often offered in custom-designed,plug-and-play SpirelloTM themed cottages, the product only recently started distribution in the U.S. Luttjehuizen said, “I hope we continue to successfully grow distribution in the U.S. and can provide a donation like this to a worthy organization helping to feed the hungry every year.” Parks interested in learning how to successfully offer Spirelloto their snack food offering next year can contact Pete Barto ([email protected]).
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TREVOSE, Pa. — Mini Melts USA, the leader in premium beaded ice cream, has announced the appointment of Jerry Law as chief operating officer. Law, who joined Mini Melts in April 2024, brings more than 30 years of leadership experience in the frozen food industry and spearheads the brand’s operational and distribution growth across the U.S.
In his role as COO, Law oversees Mini Melts’ nationwide network of more than 25 distribution centers, ensuring seamless delivery of its premium beaded ice cream to thousands of locations, including convenience stores, amusement parks, sporting arenas and zoos. Since joining Mini Melts, Law has focused on strengthening operational efficiencies and scaling the company’s presence in new markets while maintaining the joy and innovation that have made the brand a leader in the frozen novelty category.
“Jerry’s exceptional track record and deep industry expertise make him the perfect addition to the Mini Melts team,” said Dan Kilcoyne, president and chief executive officer of Mini Melts. “His leadership is already making a significant impact as we continue to expand our footprint and deliver on our promise of spoonfuls of fun to customers nationwide.”
Before joining Mini Melts, Law served as CEO of Real Good Foods, a high-growth emerging frozen food brand, where he oversaw the company’s rapid expansion, including building a product portfolio that grew category sales and engaged more than 500,000 followers across social platforms. Prior to that, he held senior leadership roles at J&J Snack Foods Corp., where he led the $880 million snack food division, overseeing 16 plants and more than 4,200 employees, while driving record-breaking revenue growth. Law holds a background in engineering and earned a master’s degree in marketing from Drexel University.
“Joining Mini Melts during this exciting stage of growth is an incredible opportunity to make a meaningful impact,” said Law. “This is a company built on delivering joy, and I look forward to collaborating with the team to expand our reach and continue delighting customers with our premium ice cream.”
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PLAINVIEW, Texas — The iconic Mindbender at West Edmonton Mall will live on — in spirit — at the National Roller Coaster Museum, thanks to a donation of a scale model of the retired Schwarzkopf coaster from Galaxyland.
The all-metal, static display is the first artifact to be donated from Canada and was used by the park’s maintenance department. Over the ride’s 30-year history, the model was used as a reference for safety inspections and other operational needs for the triple loop coaster.
“We could not be more excited to welcome this unique piece of amusement ride history to our collection,” said Jeff Novotny, President of the NRCMA Board of Directors. “What better way to celebrate the centennial of Anton Schwarzkopf’s birth than by preserving this unique piece of his incredible legacy.”
The model, which is over five feet long, three feet wide and four feet tall, was shipped with the assistance of WhiteWater West, who donated their time and resources to preserve this unique part of the legacy of Anton Schwarzkopf.
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