History Center to celebrate Kennywood’s 125th Anniversary
The Senator John Heinz History Center will host a daylong program, “Kennywood Day: 125 Years of Memories,” from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 9.
Founded in 1898 as a trolley park, Kennywood is one of only two amusement parks in the United States to be designated as a National Historic Landmark.
“It is an honor the museum will be celebrating our 125th this season by hosting Kennywood Day. We are thrilled to have such a longstanding community partner in the History Center right in our own backyard,” said Kennywood General Manager Mark Pauls.
Visitors can relive Kennywood memories throughout all six floors of the history center as the museum reflects on 125 years of Pittsburgh’s amusement park with a day of special programming, family-friendly games, carnival-themed food, a special artifact unveiling, and more.
From a “That Kennywood Summer” screening and Q&A with WQED’s Rick Sebak to cultural day cooking demonstrations and “behind-the-screams” amusement park discussions, Kennywood Day will delve into the park’s history with commentary from amusement park experts, former employees, and park enthusiasts.
Kennywood Day at the History Center will include:
n Exploring the Kennywood “Park-ives” in the Detre Library & Archives (10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.)
n Ethnic Heritage Days cooking demonstrations featuring Chris Fennimore of QED Cooks (11 a.m. and 1 p.m.)
n Special presentation: “Kennywood and the Rise of the Amusement Park: An American Phenomenon,” a discussion with Lauren Rabinovitz, noted amusement park scholar and author of “Electric Dreamland” (noon)
n “That Kennywood Summer” screening and Q&A with WQED’s Rick Sebak (2 p.m.)
n A “Behind the Screams” panel featuring award-winning author Brian Butko and local amusement park historians Bryan Bartley, Rachel Cunningham, Rick Davis, Mike Funyak, Jim Futrell, Dave Hahner, and Jen Sopko (3 p.m.)
n An unveiling of historic Kennywood artifacts that will be donated to the History Center collection (3:45 p.m.)
The program is included with regular History Center admission and is free for History Center members. Admission also includes access to all History Center exhibitions.
Visit heinzhistorycenter.org/events for more information or to purchase tickets.