Press Release from Kennywood
PITTSBURGH, PA [March 19, 2026] – The one-month countdown to Opening Day at Kennywood Park is officially on. This year’s Opening Day begins with the debut of the park’s newest event, Celebrate Kennywood Weekends, the unveiling of two all-new food locations, and the return of the park’s iconic rides and attractions. The gates officially swing open on Saturday, April 18 at 11 a.m.
From events, to food, and roller coasters, a variety of attractions have received an upgrade this offseason. All-new details include:
NEW! Celebrate Kennywood Weekends – Saturdays and Sundays from April 18 through May 10, everyone is invited to celebrate Pittsburgh’s beloved amusement park. Grab your best spud, break out the matching Kennywood outfits, and get ready to celebrate with exclusive Potato Patch®-inspired food items, nostalgic photo opportunities, and more.
NEW! Centennial Grill – An all-new food location brings back a beloved Kennywood menu item. Cheesesteaks make their grand reappearance at the park once again beginning on Opening Day in the Centennial Grill, located near The Whip in Lost Kennywood.
NEW! Big Dipper – A tribute to the Dipper roller coaster that entertained guests from 1948 until 1984, this new ice cream stand will serve a variety of flavors throughout the season and is located next to Noah’s Ark.
NEW! Bites and Pints Food & Drink Festival – Bites and Pints is back with refreshing drinks, tasty food, and two new countries, France and Germany, making a re-debut in 2026. Hungry guests can thrill their taste buds every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from May 22 through June 28, plus Monday, May 25.
NEW! All American Summer – Kennywood celebrates America’s 250th Birthday, Pittsburgh style, with its largest fireworks show ever presented by Zambelli on Saturday, July 4, special activities, and high-energy entertainment. Then, more than 300 drones take to the night sky every Saturday and Sunday from July 11 through July 26.
The 2026 season also marks two major ride anniversaries at Kennywood. The Whip turns 100 years old. The beloved family ride made its debut at the park in 1926 and has been delighting generations of riders ever since. The USA Today 10Best Roller Coaster, Phantom’s Revenge,turns 25 this summer. To honor the award-winning coaster, the park team will debut a 25th anniversary edition logo, has added new details to the station, mixed and matched the iconic green and purple coaster cars, and has brought back the original sounds from the station.
“Opening Day at Kennywood is always a big deal for Pittsburgh. This year we’re adding Celebrate Kennywood Weekends, which honors our iconic brand, the Potato Patch through a variety of potato-inspired menu items,” said Ricky Spicuzza, General Manager. “With milestone anniversaries for rides like The Whip and Phantom’s Revenge, we’re proud to see families continuing to enjoy generations of memories on the same rides that have made Kennywood special for nearly 130 years.”
In addition to the all-new Celebrate Kennywood Weekends and Bites and Pints Food & Drink Festival, the park will host a variety of fan-favorite events throughout the season. 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.
Visitors can make the most of the 2026 season by purchasing a Season Pass. Right now, guests can save up to $40 on Season Passes when they purchase online. 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.