Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Spring is here again: You can now ride the Coney Island Cyclone
By
Hannah Frishberg
Published Mar 28, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Luna Park
By
Hannah Frishberg
Published Mar 28, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Spring is here at last: Coney Island's Luna Park is officially open for the 2026 season.
The annual egg cream christening of the Cyclone will take place Sunday, March 29 at 11 a.m.
The rickety old rollercoaster turns 99 this year, and to celebrate the first 99 guests will ride the landmarked icon for free. While supplies last, they’ll also receive a free, classic egg cream.
Mere feet away, the fiscally separate but spiritually conjoined Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park will also be opening this weekend. Its 41st Annual Blessing of the Rides will take place at 10 a.m. on Sunday, with Pastor Mary Smith of Coney Island’s Salt & Sea Mission leading the ceremony and the FDNY Ceremonial Unit leading a singing of the National Anthem. In celebration of the slightly older Wonder Wheel’s 106th birthday, the first 106 guests will ride for free.
(While it costs to ride, admission to both parks is free.)
This season’s reopening comes on the heels of two significant developments for the People’s Playground: the end of a bid to build a controversial casino in the neighborhood and the launch of a fundraising campaign for the Mermaid Parade by its producer, nonprofit Coney Island USA.
The event is facing “an urgent financial crisis,” the group wrote in its GoFundMe, and “Without immediate support, one of New York’s most iconic and beloved summer traditions for over 40 years could disappear.”
Tagged
brooklyn
coney island
Hannah Frishberg
Hannah Frishberg covers New York City arts and culture. Got a tip? Email Hannah at [email protected].
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Ever wish you could get paid to walk through a stranger’s house? ‘The Scout’ is for you.
A new film focuses on the strange career of a location scout in New York City.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Sep 26, 2026
There are 100s of places to visit during Open House New York. Here's 5 of our favorites.
See the entire lineup for the weekend when the city opens its doors.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Arts & Entertainment
There are 100s of places to visit during Open House New York. Here's 5 of our favorites.
See the entire lineup for the weekend when the city opens its doors.
By
Hannah Frishberg
A massive MTA archive ended up in a Virginia warehouse. A Brooklyn man brought it home.
By
Hannah Frishberg
How a Harry Styles pop-up in the East Village led to a nearby bookstore owner's arrest
By
Sonia Rao
NYC’s creative workers are increasingly self-employed, report says
By
Hannah Frishberg
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .