Six Flags Great America Announces 50th Anniversary Celebration

SIX FLAGS GREAT AMERICA ANNOUNCES 50th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
FEATURING A SUMMER-LONG EVENT
 
Theme park celebrates five decades of thrills with all‑new nighttime spectacular,
legacy museum, themed entertainment, exclusive merchandise, and more

​GURNEE, Ill. — March 19, 2026 — Six Flags Great America today announced plans to celebrate its 50th Anniversary in 2026. In honor of five decades of thrills and family memories, the park will host a special 50th Anniversary Celebration, running June 20 through Aug. 9, featuring new entertainment, limited‑time offerings, and guest experiences. Since first welcoming guests in 1976, the park has hosted generations of families to experience its thrilling lineup of attractions, from the timeless Columbia Carousel to the record‑breaking Wrath of Rakshasa. Together, they build the park’s path from its “Marriott’s Great America” beginnings to the premier entertainment destination it is today.
 
“Fifty years of Six Flags Great America is a celebration of the millions of memories made in our park,” said Hardeep Lall, park manager of Six Flags Great America. “This anniversary season is designed to honor our history while offering new ways for guests to experience the park they’ve loved for decades.”

​50th Anniversary Celebration Highlights
Running June 20 through Aug. 9, the celebration will feature:

• ALL NEW Nighttime Spectacular: Debuting exclusively for the 50th Anniversary Celebration, the park will launch its most ambitious nighttime entertainment experience yet. Each night will feature a high-energy stage show and parade, complete with brand-new parade floats. The spectacular will also include a dazzling drone show Friday through Sunday nights, illuminating the night sky in honor of the park’s 50-year history;
• Legacy Museum: Guests can step back in time inside the new Legacy Museum, located in Emporium, featuring historic artifacts, archival photography, retired signage, memorabilia from park employees and fans, and displays celebrating key moments from every decade;
• Anniversary Brick Program: Guests can leave their mark on park history through the Anniversary Brick Program, featuring personalized bricks installed along the Great America Legacy Path in Carousel Plaza. Designs include nods to favorite attractions, family traditions, and personal milestones, offering a unique way to leave a lasting mark. Anniversary Bricks can be purchased by visiting the Anniversary Brick website;
• Exclusive Anniversary Merchandise: Guests can take home a piece of history with limited‑edition anniversary merchandise, available only at Emporium, a retail location exclusively for the 50th Anniversary Celebration. Items will include apparel, collectibles, souvenirs, and nostalgic throwbacks;
• Return of the Ice Cream Parlor: A fan‑favorite from the park’s opening year in 1976 makes a return with a reimagined Ice Cream Parlor in Hometown Square. Guests can enjoy classic scoops, nostalgic flavors, and sweet treats that honor the park’s earliest summers;
• Entertainment Offerings Through the Decades: Live entertainment offerings throughout the park will pay tribute to each of Great America’s five decades, blending music, costumes, and performances inspired by the 1970s through today. These nostalgic touches bring the park’s history to life in fun, high-energy ways for longtime fans and new visitors alike;
• Specialty Food and Beverage Offerings: In celebration of its history, the park will introduce a variety of nostalgic food and beverage items, including classic root beer inspired by offerings from opening year in 1976, and limited-time treats and savory dishes available only during the anniversary celebration; and,
• Themed Photo Opportunities: Throughout the park, guests will experience themed photo displays inspired by eras from Great America’s history. These nostalgic photo opportunities are designed for families to recreate memories, celebrate return visits, and capture new moments that honor 50 years of thrills.

 
Throughout the celebration, guests will also experience anniversary‑themed décor throughout the park, including special touches honoring the original attractions turning 50 this season.
 
Six Flags Great America opens for the season on April 25, 2026. For more information on this season and the 50th Anniversary Celebration, visit sixflags.com/greatamerica.
 
Season Pass Spring Sale
Six Flags Great America is also offering the Spring Sale! Now through April 26, guests can purchase a 2026 Gold Pass for the price of a Silver Pass and enjoy access to all parks in the region, including Cedar Point, Kings Island, Canada’s Wonderland and more. For more information, visit sixflags.com/greatamerica.
 
 
About Six Flags Great America & Hurricane Harbor Chicago
Six Flags Great America is a 300-acre theme park located between Chicago and Milwaukee. The park offers endless thrills for the entire family with 17 heart-pounding roller coasters, spectacular shows featuring world-class entertainers, and three children's themed areas. Hurricane Harbor Chicago, the 20-acre waterpark, offers fun in the summer sun for the entire family with 25 splash-filled attractions, including the world’s tallest water coaster, thrilling water slides, and kids’ splash pads. For more information, visit sixflags.com/greatamerica.

About Six Flags Entertainment Corporation
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE: FUN) is North America’s largest regional amusement-resort operator with 26 amusement parks, 15 water parks and nine resort properties across 16 states in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The Company also manages an amusement park in Saudi Arabia. Focused on its purpose of making people happy, Six Flags provides fun, immersive and memorable experiences to millions of guests every year with world-class coasters, themed rides, thrilling water parks, resorts and a portfolio of beloved intellectual property such as Looney Tunes®, DC Comics® and PEANUTS®.

---

Related Videos

---