Shakopee’s Valleyfair marks 50 seasons of making Minnesota summer memories

Valleyfair marks 50 seasons of making Minnesota summer memories

Valleyfair is marking 50 years of summer fun, memories and thrills for generations of Minnesotans. Valleyfair opened in 1976 with 20 rides on 26 acres, featuring the High Roller as its main attraction. Today, the park spans 125 acres and offers more than 75 rides and attractions, including classics like the Tilt-A-Whirl, Ferris wheel and a 101-year-old carousel originally from Excelsior Amusement Park. FOX 9's Maury Glover has the story.

SHAKOPEE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Valleyfair is marking 50 years of summer fun, memories and thrills for generations of Minnesotans.

Looking back at five decades of Valleyfair’s growth

What we know:

Valleyfair opened in 1976 with 20 rides on 26 acres, featuring the High Roller as its main attraction. Today, the park spans 125 acres and offers more than 75 rides and attractions, including classics like the Tilt-A-Whirl, Ferris wheel and a 101-year-old carousel originally from Excelsior Amusement Park.

Jim Boone, rides maintenance manager, said, "A great summer place to come hang out, be with your family, have your friends here. Enjoy an afternoon."

Boone started as a ride operator 37 years ago and has seen the park change, but believes the joy it brings remains the same.

"It's gotten a little bit bigger. As far as the rides go, they seem a lot more technical than they used to be. They were pretty basic back. We got a lot of more complicated systems to learn and take care of," said Boone.

Stephen Summers, Valleyfair park president, said, "So there's a lot of pride in that carousel. Our carousel's been around for 101 years. And so the fact that we were able to move it from one park that was closing to Valleyfair to just keep that legacy going, that means something."

In the early days, employees wore period costumes to create a Coney Island vibe, and mascots like Colonel Ohoompapa and Chocolate Moose entertained guests. The park also featured a dolphin show and later a high diving show, both of which have since been replaced as the park evolved.

Boone said, "Even when I started I had to wear the knickers with the suspenders and nice striped shirts and things like that. The girls I believe were in dresses and skirts and things so it's kind of evolved now to a little more modern, but yeah, it was all turn of the century kind of little character charm to it, kind of a theme."

The park’s expansion has brought memorable attractions like the Excalibur rollercoaster, the Flume water ride and an IMAX theater, providing excitement for generations.

Honoring the past, looking to the future

Why you should care:

Valleyfair is not just an amusement park but a Minnesota institution, with families returning year after year and passing down traditions.

"Not all theme parks make it here, so the fact that the people of Minnesota have adopted this as one of the institutions of Minnesota and they keep coming back out, all the generations that come and bring the younger generations, it's an amazing experience and we're really glad that we're able to provide that for Minnesotans," said Summers.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary, memorabilia like Colonel Ohoompapa’s costume are on display at the Scott County Historical Society.

Lindsay Marshall from the society said, "From the nerdy archival side. It's been fun to see all of the different changes over time. Like I had no idea there was a petting zoo. I didn't know there was a dolphin show. Just the changes over time's been really fun."

Recent years have brought new rides like Renegade, Wild Thing and Steel Venom, keeping the park fresh and exciting. Boone believes the future is bright.

"I think it's getting bigger and better. I think there's a lot of opportunity on the horizon here for us. I'm excited to see what the future does bring. Always fun to bring something new in and just keep improving what we have here, keeping it going," Boone said.