Silverwood opens Saturday
<p>Trey Recanzone, 13, from Burns, Ore., speeds through the water on one of the Velocity Peak slides at Silverwood Theme Park's Boulder Beach in 2011.</p>
ATHOL - Silverwood Theme Park opens Saturday for its 27th season of family fun.
On opening weekend, tickets are only $19.88 per person in celebration of Silverwood's first season in 1988. Tickets are available at silverwoodthemepark.com and at the front gate.
Silverwood will be open on weekends until daily operation starts May 24. Regular general admission price is $45.99.
When a family brings mom on Mother's Day weekend, March 10-11, mom gets in free with ticket purchases online or at the gate. In addition, the price is $37.99 for general admission and $20.99 for youth and seniors.
The admission on May 17-18 is half price for all ages.
Celebrate American Heroes Weekend is May 24-26. All military personnel, veterans and emergency responders are admitted free with identification. All of their immediate family members are allowed in at half price when purchasing tickets at the gate.
Silverwood has grown from a local attraction into the largest theme and water park in the Northwest, with 221 acres of fun and more than 70 rides, slides, shows and attractions in the park.
The park boasts four large roller coasters, one drop tower and other family-friendly rides and attractions. Boulder Beach Water Park will open May 31 with two expansive wave pools, several water slides, play areas for the kids and VIP cabanas.
In 1987, when the "Henley Aerodrome and Museum of Transportation" was still under construction, Gary Norton wondered whether anyone would pay to visit his creation in a remote area of North Idaho.
"If nobody shows," he said, "then I'm just going to have a nice little park to play in with my friends."
Twenty-seven years later, about 10 million people have passed through the gates of Norton's theme park.
More than $1.2 million was spent on an expansion this year.
The expansion is three quarters of an acre north of Garfield's Summer Camp and east of the Butterflyer and Frog Hopper.
New rides for 2014 include a kite glider in which adults can lay side by side with their child, a puppy-themed ride and a spinning family roller coaster.
A hot-air-balloon-themed ride will open in 2015.
The kiddie Ferris wheel will also be re-themed and located in the expansion area.