Six Flags Great America Celebrates 50 Years with Anniversary Bash on May 29

​GURNEE, Ill. — May 26, 2026 — Six Flags Great America will officially mark its 50th Anniversary with a special Anniversary Day Bash on May 29, celebrating five decades of thrills, memories, and family traditions. At 11:00 a.m. in Hometown Square, guests will be invited to join the festivities with complimentary party hats and a special treat, creating a shared, park‑wide celebration honoring the day Great America first opened its gates in 1976.
 
Adding to the excitement, the park will welcome back a truly special part of its history. For one day only, the park’s original 1976 barbershop quartet, now known as Four of a Kind, will return to perform throughout the park, bringing the unmistakable sound and spirit of opening year to life.

​What began as a friendship among high school students in Greendale, Wisconsin, grew into a defining chapter of their early lives, as the group spent two summers performing at the park - carpooling together, building lasting friendships, and creating memories alongside guests. Now, 50 years later, they return to where it all began for a one‑day‑only reunion, celebrating the milestone they helped shape and sharing their music with a new generation of park visitors.

“Celebrating 50 years is an incredible milestone for Six Flags Great America,” said John Krajnak, Park President of Six Flags Great America. “What makes this season truly special is the people, both past and present, who have brought this park to life every day. This anniversary is our chance to celebrate what made the park special in 1976 while embracing the new experiences we’re creating for today’s guests.”
 
Beginning May 29, guests will also be able to experience the first of several limited‑time 50th Anniversary offerings, including the opening of the park’s exclusive anniversary shop, featuring limited‑edition merchandise and commemorative items created especially for the milestone season.
 
In addition, the park will debut its Legacy Museum, an immersive showcase of artifacts, archival photography, retired signage, and memorabilia from the park’s 50‑year history. The experience invites guests to step back in time and explore the evolution of the park from its beginnings as Marriott’s Great America to the world‑class destination it is today.
 
The celebration continues into the evening as guests are invited to cap off the milestone day with a firework display at 9:30 p.m. The dazzling show will light up the night sky, serving as a breathtaking tribute to 50 incredible years of memories at Six Flags Great America.
 
The Anniversary Day Bash on May 29 is just the beginning of a summer-long party. The park’s full 50th Anniversary Celebration will run June 20 through Aug. 9, featuring an all‑new nighttime spectacular and drone show, nostalgic entertainment, specialty food and beverage offerings, themed photo opportunities, and more ways for guests to celebrate 50 years of Six Flags Great America.
 
For more information on the 50th Anniversary Celebration and events, visit sixflags.com/greatamerica.


Memorial Day Sale – Extended!
Six Flags Great America is extending the Memorial Day Sale! Now through June 7, save up to 50% on tickets, passes 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 20 amusement parks, 14 water parks and nine resort properties across 13 states in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The Company also manages an amusement park in Saudi Arabia. Focused on its purpose of creating FUN, thrills and a lifetime of memories, Six Flags provides immersive entertainment 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®.

**all photos courtesy of Six Flags Great America