Canobie Lake Park
Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Canobie Lake Park is an amusement park in Salem, New Hampshire, located about Script error: No such module "convert". north of Boston. It was founded as a trolley park on the shore of Canobie Lake in 1902. Three local families currently run the park, which draws visitors from throughout the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions. Canobie Lake Park's age and history inspired author Stephen King to use rides and elements from the park in his Joyland novel. It is one of only thirteen trolley parks still operating in the United States as of 2021.
The park originally featured botanical gardens, with few amusement rides. After the automobile became the most popular mode of travel in the United States, the trolley line serving the park was closed. Attendance in the park declined until it was purchased by Patrick J. Holland. He installed a wooden roller coaster named Yankee Cannonball in 1936, a ride which was designated as an ACE Roller Coaster Landmark by American Coaster Enthusiasts in 2013.[1] The park recovered, and the Arrow Development designed Canobie Corkscrew was installed in 1987, after being relocated from the Old Chicago amusement park in Illinois, where it was named the Chicago Loop. It was removed after the 2021 season. Untamed, a Euro-Fighter coaster, is the only coaster with an inversion.
History
Canobie Lake Park opened on August 23, 1902, as a trolley park for the Massachusetts Northeast Street Railway Company.[2] In its early years, the park was known for its flower gardens, promenades and gentle attractions.[3] After the decline of trolley as a mode of travel, the park declined in popularity, culminating in the park's closure on St. Patrick's Day in 1929.[4] In 1931, the park was auctioned off with the intent to subdivide the land into residential lots. Patrick J. Holland, a construction contractor from Ireland, bought the property for US$17,000. He and his workers restored the park with new gardens, attractions, and modern electricity. In 1932, the park reopened, three years after its initial closure.[4] Its popularity recovered, and the Yankee Cannonball was installed, becoming one of the park's most popular attractions for decades. Holland died in 1943, leaving the park with his wife and son, who continued to own the park until 1958. The park is now currently owned by three families; they purchased the park in 1958, continued operating the park ever since, and still operate the park today.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Some films and novels have used Canobie Lake Park as a setting or filming location. Stephen King, an American author of horror novels, based the amusement park in his novel Joyland on Canobie Lake Park. A resident of the nearby state of Maine, King visited after searching for a park "that was nice and clean and sunlit, but wasn't too big". During a visit in 2012, King took photographs inside the dark ride attraction, "Mine of Lost Souls", because he wanted to incorporate a haunted dark ride into his novel.[5] The park was also used as a filming location for the 2013 film Labor Day, based on the novel of the same name by Joyce Maynard.[6] It also appeared in two live action children's TV shows on PBS Kids that were produced by PBS affiliate WGBH Boston; it was featured in an episode of Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman,[7] as well as in the season 6 opening intro to the show Zoom.[8]
Incidents
- On July 27, 2001, five people riding the Yankee Cannonball roller coaster were injured when two of the ride's trains collided.[9][10]
- On July 1, 2014, a family of five attacked police officers after they were told they could not carry weapons in the park.[11] Three of the family members were charged with felony riot.[12]
- On August 6, 2016, a stuntman rolled off of a safety net during Canobie Lake Park's "Rocket Man: The Human Cannonball" performance. The stuntman was unharmed.[13]
Rides and attractions
Canobie Lake Park features a variety of rides and attractions. The Yankee Cannonball, a 1930s-era wooden roller coaster, is one of the park's best-known rides. The park was home to a looping, steel roller coaster named the Canobie Corkscrew, designed by Arrow Dynamics. Originally manufactured in 1975, the Canobie Corkscrew operated at Old Chicago from 1975 to 1980 as the "Chicago Loop",[14] at the Alabama State Fairgrounds as "Corkscrew" from 1982 to 1986, before moving to Canobie Lake in 1987. The Canobie Corkscrew was one of the first steel looping roller coasters manufactured in the world and was part of a series of Arrow corkscrew models produced from 1975 to 1979. The Canobie Corkscrew was closed in 2021, and in 2022 the ride was removed from the park.[15] Parts of the ride were subsequently donated to the National Roller Coaster Museum and Archives upon its removal.
Other thrill rides in Canobie Lake Park include Starblaster, an S&S Double Shot, which replaced a ride called the Moon Orbiter in 2002. The park also features a rotor ride named "Turkish Twist", and a shoot-the-chutes ride named "The Boston Tea Party". The park has one dark ride, "The Mine Of Lost Souls". Passengers board mine cars and venture into the depths of a haunted mine. Another flat ride at the park is the "Psychodrome", a scrambler ride located in a dome, with lighting, music and special effects. In 2005, the park opened Castaway Island, a small water park consisting of a water play structure. In October 2017, the park announced an expansion to the water ride complex, including a lazy river and a series of water slides.[16]
The park once had a simulator ride named "USA Missile", built early in the Space Age by John Taggart and Sam Daugherty.[17] Passengers sit facing the nose of the rocket, which is then inclined. A movie is shown on a screen at the front as a simulation of space flight. While at Canobie Lake Park, it was repainted to mimic the markings used on such launch vehicles as the Saturn rockets.[18]
In 2011, the park added Untamed, a Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter 320+ model.[19] This is the fourth Euro-Fighter to be added in the United States, the only one in the Northeast, and the first roller coaster to be opened in Canobie Lake Park since the Canobie Corkscrew in 1987.
The following year, the park added Equinox, a ride that lifted and spun riders on a giant mechanical arm. Despite the ride's popularity, it was shut down in 2014 after persistent mechanical problems left the ride operating "sporadically". The park has stated that safety was not an issue.[20]
Roller coasters
| Image | Name | Opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 2026 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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SBF Visa | A currently under construction SBF Visa Spinning Coaster currently in storage behind Untamed. | |
| Dragon Coaster | 1991 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Zamperla | A children's roller coaster with a train designed like a dragon. | |
| File:Canobie Lake Park Untamed.jpg | Untamed | 2011 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Gerstlauer | A Euro-Fighter roller coaster with three inversions, located near the Jackpot Casino. The ride features a 72-foot vertical lift and a beyond vertical drop at a 97-degree angle, as well as three inversions: a vertical loop, an Immelmann loop, and a zero-G roll. |
| File:Yankee Cannonball 1.jpg | Yankee Cannonball | 1936 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Philadelphia Toboggan Company | The park's oldest roller coaster; A wooden roller coaster with an out-and-back layout. The ride was given its name in commemoration of the American Civil War. Recognized as an ACE Roller Coaster Landmark. |
Thrill rides
| Name | Opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Jet | 2017 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Bertazzon | A Flying Bobs ride that goes both forward and backwards |
| Pirate | 1986 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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S.D.C. / Amusement Technical | A pirate ship ride |
| Psychodrome | 1989 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Eli Bridge Company | An indoor scrambler ride with flashing lights and sound effects[21] |
| Starblaster | 2002 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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S&S Power | A Double Shot launch tower ride, opened for the park's centennial |
| Time Winder | 2024 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Zamperla | Thrill ride in which 4 arms rotate in fast intermeshing orbits. |
| Turkish Twist | 1979[22] Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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S.D.C. | A Rotor ride |
| Wipeout | 2004 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Chance Rides | A Wipeout ride |
| Xtreme Frisbee | 2007 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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HUSS | A Frisbee ride |
Family rides
| Name | Opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antique Carousel | 1902 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Looff/Dentzel/Stein & Goldstein | An antique carousel with a Wurlitzer style 153 band organ |
| Antique Cars | 1968 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Arrow Development | A car ride with cars themed after Ford Model Ts[23] |
| Blue Heron | 2005 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Unknown | A boat ride that takes guests for a 20-minute trip on the lake |
| Boston Harbor Patrol | 2008 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Sartori Amusement Rides | |
| Canobie 500 | 1977 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Arrow race cars | A car ride with cars themed after race cars |
| Canobie Express | 1975 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Crown Metal | A train that runs through the park, around Castaway Island, and along the lakeshore. It runs on 2 foot narrow gauge tracks. |
| Caterpillar | 1963 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Harry Traver | A caterpillar ride |
| Crazy Cups | 1958 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Philadelphia Toboggan Company | A teacup ride |
| DaVinci's Dream | 2003 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Wooddesign Amusement Rides B.V.[24] | A Wave Swinger ride themed to Leonardo da Vincis architecture. |
| Dodgems | 1930s Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Unknown | Bumper car ride |
| Giant Sky Wheel | 1981 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Preston-Barbieri/S.D.C. | A ferris wheel |
| Mine of Lost Souls | 1987 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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S.D.C./Sally Corporation | A themed dark ride |
| Over the Rainbow | 2001[25] Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Zamperla | A Wizard of Oz-themed balloon ride |
| Rowdy Roosters | 1948 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Bisch-Rocco | A Flying Scooters ride |
| Skater | 2005 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Zamperla | A Disk'O ride |
| Sky Ride | Early 1970s Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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SkyTrans[26] | A chairlift |
| Twist & Shout | 1949 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Sellner Manufacturing | A Tilt-A-Whirl ride |
| Venetian Carousel | 2019 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Bertazzon | A double-decker Venetian carousel |
| Wave Blaster | 2009 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Zamperla | |
| Zero Gravity | 2008 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Battech Enterprises | A Round Up ride; replaced an older variation of the Round Up |
Water rides
| Name | Opened | Manufacturer | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Tea Party | 1998[27] Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Hopkins Rides | A shoot the chute boat ride that splashes guests on nearby paths when the boat falls down the drop. It is named and themed for the Boston Tea Party, an event when residents of Boston rebelled against the then-occupying British. |
| Castaway Island | 2005 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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WhiteWater West[28] | Initially opened as a small water play structure with slides and fountains; this initial structure has been renamed the "Rain Fortress" after the 2018 expansion. |
2018 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Aquatic Development Group | An expansion to the section added a first-of-its-kind Tidal River water ride (a combined lazy river and zero-entry wave pool), along with three tube slides (Python, Anaconda and Constrictor) situated on "Slide Island" in the middle of the river, a toddler fountain area (Lil Squirts Play Pad), private rentable cabanas, and expanded locker and changing room facilities. | |
| Policy Pond Log Flume | 1983 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Hopkins Rides | A log flume ride |
Children's rides
| Name | Ride type | Year added |
|---|---|---|
| Alpine Swing | Children's swing ride | 2003 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| Autobahn | 2009 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| Boats | 1954 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| Fire Engines | 1954 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| Flower Power | Children's whip ride | 1994 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| Helicopters | 1959 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| Jeeps | 1953 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| Jump Around | Children's Wave Blaster | 2009 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| Jungle Bounce | 2003 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| Junior Sports Cars | 1958 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| Kiddie Canoes | Children's Boat Ride | Late 1980s Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| Kiddie Carousel | Children's carousel | 1954 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| Mini Dinos | 1960 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| Mini-Skooter | Children's bumper cars | Late 1980s |
| Pony Carts | 1954 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| Sea/Land Rescue |
1989 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| Sky Fighters | 1954 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| Tanks | 1954 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Former rides
Roller coasters
| Name | Ride manufacturer | Year added | Year retired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mammoth Roller Coaster | Frederick Ingersoll | 1902 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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1935 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Sometimes referred to as Figure 8 roller coaster, although that name was likely descriptive.[29] |
| Jr. Roller Coaster | Allan Herschell Company | 1970 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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1984 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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A kiddie coaster next to the dance hall |
| Rockin' Rider | SDC | 1970 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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2004 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Originally called Galaxi at Canobie before being rebranded/renamed; replaced with "Xtreme Frisbee" |
| Wild Mouse | B. A. Schiff & Associates | 1962 or earlier Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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1962 or earlier Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Used wood supports and steel track. The Paratrooper replaced the Wild Mouse and was later replaced by the Skater attraction. |
| Canobie Corkscrew | Arrow Development | 1987 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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2021 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Two back to back corkscrew inversions. Removed due to mechanical issues. |
Rides
| Name | Ride manufacturer | Year added | Year retired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling alley | 1902 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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1960s Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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After purchasing the park in the 1960s, the owners burned all the pins from the bowling alley to keep warm during their first winter.[2] | |
| Calypso | Mack | 1975 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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1988 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Replaced with the "Moon Orbiter" |
| Equinox | KMG | 2012 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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2014 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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A twisting, spinning and flipping ride. Removed due to mechanical issues. Replaced with "Ice Jet". |
| Fascination | Unknown | 1930s Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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2001 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Replaced with the "Jackpot Casino" |
| House of Seven Gables | Unknown | 1938 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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1978 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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A walk-through haunted house |
| Kosmojets | SDC | 1967 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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2003 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Replaced with "Wipeout" |
| Matterhorn | SDC | 1987 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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2006 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Replaced with a concession stand "Hotdog Diner" |
| Moon Orbiter | Unknown | 1989 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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2002 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Replaced with the "Star Blaster" |
| Ocean Trip | SBF | 2001 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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2008 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Replaced with Boston Harbor Patrol |
| Paratroopers | 1974 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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2006 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Replaced with "Skater" | |
| Petting zoo | Unknown | Unknown | ||
| Round Up | Unknown | 1980 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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2007 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Replaced with "Zero Gravity". |
| Roller skating rink | 1930s Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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1978 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Used to house ScrEEEmfest haunts | |
| The Swamp | Pretzel | 1930s Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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1985 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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A dark ride that was replaced with the Can Alley game and employee center building. |
| Swimming pool | 1912 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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2007 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Removed during the construction of a larger main entrance | |
| Tiki-Maze | SDC | 1965 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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2016 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Formerly the Crystal Orbiter, on broken motor-driven platform |
| USA Missile | Unknown | 1971 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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2011 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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A missile ride. Removed to make room for Untamed. |
| Vertigo Theatre | Unknown | 1987 | 2009 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Replaced with Autobahn to make room for "Wave Blaster" |
| The Whip | Unknown | Mid 1950s Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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Early 1980s Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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The ride became difficult to maintain in the early 1980s, so it was retired and replaced with Matterhorn, then Equinox, until the latter ride was removed |
| Tall Timber Splash | WhiteWater West | 1994 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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2023 Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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A water coaster, removed for future expansion. |
Events
Canobie Lake Park holds many events in the park throughout the year, including live performances and fireworks shows. The park has multiple venues for live entertainment, including the Country Stage, Midway Stage, and Dancehall Theater. The park's Dancehall Theater has hosted performers such as Duke Ellington, Sonny & Cher, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald.[30][31] The Canobie Ramblers occasionally perform at the Log Flume Gazebo.
Beginning in 2008, Canobie Lake Park has held a Halloween event called ScrEEEmfest in the fall. The park describes the event as delivering "family fun by day and a healthy dose of fear by night."[32] Attractions include haunted houses, live shows, and spooky rides, including kid-friendly attractions and activities. Past "haunts" have included Merriment Incorporated, The Dead Shed, Black Hollow Cove, Head Hunters at Cannibal Lake, Cannibal Island, Demons of Darkness, Terro in the Corn Invasion and Virus.[33] Currently as of 2023, the park hosts five haunted attractions, Pinecrest Sanitarium, Carnivus, Breach, Cargo and Facility 235. In 2020, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the park did not host Screeemfest for the first time since its inception. Instead, the park hosted a "food truck festival" within the closed for the season Castaway Island. This hosted trolley carts from around New England serving various foods and beverages to guests. Screeemfest started up again in the fall of 2021 and the park also continued with the "food truck festival" since.
The park hosts performances from impersonators of various celebrities, such as Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Tim McGraw, Justin Bieber, Madonna, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, One Direction, KISS, and Aerosmith.[34] Canobie Lake Park is currently hosting tribute shows including those to Taylor Swift[35] and Freddie Mercury.[36]
See also
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References
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- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b Seed, Douglas, & Khalife, Katherine (1996). Salem, NH. Volume II - Trolleys, Canobie Lake, and Rockingham Park, Images of America. Arcadia Publishing. Template:ISBN.
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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- ↑ "CANOBIE SPECIAL", Boston Globe, April 16, 1989.
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ "More sure signs of spring: Canobie Lake Park opens", New Hampshire Sunday News (Manchester, NH), April 29, 2001
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ "Canobie's new Castaway Island water complex opens", New Hampshire Union Leader, May 26, 2005
- ↑ Template:Cite RCDB
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External links
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- Template:RCDB