Get Ready to Ride: Kennywood Kicks Off a New Season April 18
Press Release from Kennywood:
PITTSBURGH, PA [April 8, 2026] – Kennywood’s Open! There are just ten days left until Pittsburgh’s Thrill and Entertainment Destination opens for the park’s 128th Season.A sure sign that spring has returned to the ‘Burgh, the park gates will swing open on Saturday, April 18, at 11 a.m.
The USA Today 10Best nominated Theme Park will kick off the season with an all-new event to honor everyone’s favorite summer tradition – a visit to Kennywood. Celebrate Kennywood Weekends will run every Saturday and Sunday, April 18 through May 10. The new event combines the love of everyone’s favorite Potato Patch® fries, thrill rides, and good old-fashioned Kennywood nostalgia for eight days. Guests are encouraged to grab their best spud, bust out their matching Kennywood outfits, and make their way around the lagoon as they try unique potato-themed foods, including loaded cheesesteak fries, rosemary truffle fries, buffalo pierogi flatbread, loaded maple cinnamon sweet potato waffle fries, and more.
Kennywood also went to work this off-season to bring two all-new food locations to life. Beginning on Opening Day, visitors will be delighted by the new Centennial Grill. Located in Lost Kennywood, this new food stand will offer cheesesteaks, tater tots, and other beloved theme park classics. Those looking for a sweet treat can swing by the all-new Big Dipper ice cream stand. Offering hand-dipped ice cream and banana splits, this all-new sweet treat location is a tribute to the Dipper roller coaster that called Kennywood home from 1948 until 1984.
Kennywood has also unveiled two all-new ride logos celebrating milestone anniversaries for The Whip and the USA Today 10Best nominatedPhantom’s Revenge. At 100-years-old, The Whip has delighted generations of Kennywood visitors. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Phantom’s Revenge, the park has rearranged the coaster cars to alternate between green and purple, upgraded the station, and has re-recorded the original ride sounds and added it back to the queue line.
“Opening Day at Kennywood is one of those moments Pittsburgh looks forward to all year,” said Kennywood General Manager, Ricky Spicuzza. “With Celebrate Kennywood Weekends, new food experiences, and milestone anniversaries for some of our most beloved rides, we’re giving guests even more reasons to make new memories while reliving the classics.”
In addition to the all-new Celebrate Kennywood Weekends, the park has introduced a full line up of events for the 2026 season. Bites and Pints Food and Drink Festival kicks off Memorial Day Weekend with the return of two countries, France and Germany. Running weekends through June 28, this tasting event features unique foods from across the world and paired beverage tastings. The festivities continue in July as the park celebrates America’s 250th birthday with All-American Summer, headlined by a fireworks spectacular on Saturday, July 4, then special activities and drone shows every Saturday and Sunday, July 11 through 26. The 76th annual Fall Fantasy Parades return daily August 1 through August 17, plus August 22, followed by the day-to-night fall event, Phantom Fall Fest, which runs select days from September 11 to November 1. Kennywood will wrap up the 2026 season with Holiday Lights running select days from November 13 through January 3, 2027.
Right now, guests can save up to 45% on Tickets and Season Passes during the park’s Opening Sale. Select passes include a variety of perks like free access to all seasonal events, discounts on food and retail, free guest tickets, and more.
To learn more about all that’s new this season and to purchase Season Passes, visit, Kennywood.com.