Come One, Come All! Coney Island Opens For The Season on Saturday

Coney Island officially opens this weekend for another fun-filled season of rides, games, food, concerts, fireworks, Cyclones baseball games, Cosmos soccer matches, Flicks on the Beach, and more.

While all will be up and running on Saturday, the official kick-off happens on Sunday, April 9 at 11am with the traditional Blessing of the Rides at Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park.

Park owners Dennis and Steve Vourderis will perform a ribbon cutting ceremony then mark the 97th anniversary of The Wonder Wheel by offering free rides on the iconic Wheel to the lucky first 97 visitors.

The celebration continues at 11:30am when elected officials will speak at the newly refurbished Coney Island Cyclone. At noon, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams will preside over the Annual Egg Cream Christening of the famed rollercoaster.

Visitors should also check out the Coney Island History Project ​on Sunday to see historic artifacts, photographs, maps, ephemera, and films about Coney Island’s colorful past. Admission is free from 1pm to 6pm.

Don’t forget to head to the New York Aquarium​, where you can visit hundreds of exotic fish, black-footed penguins, and adorable marine mammals such as sea otters (look at that face!), harbor seals, and Pacific walruses. The Aquarium will be open on Sunday from 10am to 4:30pm (last entry is at 3:30pm).

A visit to Coney Island would not be complete without a visit to the boardwalk to nosh on the variety of treats available at the concessions. Opening this weekend along the boardwalk are Brooklyn Beach Shop, Coney’s Cones,​ La Famiglia Pizzeria,​ Lola Star, Nathan’s Famous​, Paul’s Daughter​​, ​Place to Beach​, Ruby’s Bar & Grill, and Tom’s Restaurant. Each concession will offer Coney Island mementos to customers with purchase.

The weather forecast looks good for the weekend, so head out to Coney Island for some fun in the sun!

Learn more at Alliance for Coney Island.