Cedar Point’s annual Winter Chill Out event raised $120,000 for the charity A Kid Again.
The park announced several new events, including a Star-Spangled Celebration and the return of Boardwalk Nights.
Minor park updates include refurbished restrooms, a new live show, and renovations to Starbucks locations.
The Pipe Scream ride will be reclassified as a thrill ride, and the Corkscrew roller coaster will mark its 50th season.
Cedar Point’s opening day is still three months away but that didn’t stop fans of the Sandusky amusement park who braved chilly temperatures for a behind-the-scenes tour.
The park held its annual Winter Chill Out fundraiser on Feb. 21, where 1,000 park enthusiasts had the chance to take a walking tour and a get a peek at what’s coming when the park opens its gates in early May.
The event raised some $120,000 for A Kid Again – Northern Ohio that assists families with children facing serious illnesses.
There were no major announcements this year.
Considering the park added two roller coasters in as many years with the debuts of the Top Thrill 2 and Siren’s Curse, this was not unexpected.
The tour offered a chance to visit areas typically off limits up, such as the park’s thrill machines and the maintenance and work areas where the rides are being refurbished in the off season.
Park officials did announce that restrooms on the Frontier Trail are being refurbished and a new live show is being planned this year for the Jack Aldrich Theatre.
Cedar Point is also reclassifying its Pipe Scream attraction as a thrill ride rather than a roller coaster.
This year will be a milestone for the park’s Corkscrew roller coaster as it marks its 50th season.
And there were some other − albeit minor − announcements about this year’s season.
Star-Spangled Celebration
Cedar Point plans to mark America’s 250th birthday with a special celebration set for June 29 to July 4,.
The Star-Spangled Celebration will include skydiving demonstrations, new food and beverage offerings, interactive contests and performances from the Ohio National Guard’s 122nd Army Band.
The event will end with fireworks planned for the Fourth of July.
Veterans VIP parking
The park plans to offer discounted tickets to first responders and the military.
Parking spaces are also being reserved near the main entrance for veterans.
Starbucks renovations
The Starbucks locations at Cedar Point are being remodeled.
In addition to new paint and seating, the Starbucks will feature historic Cedar Point photos on the walls.
Boardwalk Nights
Cedar Point is bringing back its Boardwalk Nights.
The nightly celebration will run from July 17 to Aug. 16 with a parade and a variety of activities and music on its historic beach and Boardwalk area of the amusement park.
Happy Friar’s Fresh-Cut Fries Fest
Park favorite the Happy Friar is once again being celebrated with its own festival.
The Happy Friar’s Fresh-Cut Fries Fest will be Sept. 11 to 13.
There will be special fries-related dishes to mark what’s been a park staple since 1942.
HalloWeekends
The park’s annual HallowWeekends festivities will run from Sept. 17 to Nov. 1 with family-friendly, not-so-scary fun by day and frights by night
Cedar Point has not yet announced this year’s lineup of scare mazes and houses.
Last year’s HalloWeekends at Cedar Point for the first time required a separate admission in addition to the regular park ticket to tour some of the haunts.
In addition to the park’s rides and attractions, HalloWeekends is home to indoor haunted mazes, immersive outdoor scare zones, event-themed foods, live shows and millions of cornstalks, pumpkins, straw bales and décor that transform the park for the spooky season. Complete details on this year’s HalloWeekends will be released at a later date.
When does Cedar Point open for the season?
Cedar Point will open for the 2026 season on Saturday, May 9.
The last day of the season is Sunday, Nov. 1.