North Hills News Record from North Hills, Pennsylvania • Page 53

Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania June 1998 Amusement parks By DAN E1MIDGE One of the greatest things about a trip to an amusement park has got to be the anticipation. Waiting for opening day. Waiting in line. Waiting to see just how scary that new ride is going to be. Waiting as the coaster you're clinging onto for dear life click-click-clicks its way to the top of the track.

This summer. West Mifflin's Kennywood Park is filled with anticipation, looking forward to its second century of operation. For starters, the park is kicking off its 100th- year birthday celebration in grand style, complete with all the hoopla befitting a park that for 12 years running, has taken home the National Amusement Park Historical Association's award for Best Traditional Park. Expect to be wowed by promotions and attractions such as the Kennywood Centennial Band, which will stroll through the park as it performs, and the new musical review on the Garden Stage "100 Years of Kennywood Memories." And then there's Kennywood's newest attraction, the Turn-of-the-Centtny Midway with live sideshows. Planned attractions include a contortionist, the headless woman, a flea circus, Gorilla Girl, and the highly- anticipated Bullet Boy, who is shot out of a cannon twice daily and races through the air alongside the Steel Phantom.

Inside Who's the fastest, tallest, 4 Enthusiast groups 3 Park roundup 2-4 Facts and figures 4 On a roll: Kennywood Park's Steel Phantom is one of the fastest roller coasters in the world it reaches a top speed of 80 mph. Other regional amusement parks boast new features, too. Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, offers Power Tower, which uses compressed air to blast visitors 300 feet into the sky and back to the ground at speeds as fast as 50 mph. Hersheypark in Hershey has unveiled The Great Bear, a 58-mph, three-minute roller coaster ride filled with enough loops, twists, spins and drops to last you the entire summer. Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio, promises to thrill fans of the popular suspended coasters.

The park's SlO-million Serial Thriller most likely will be all the excitement you'll need. Conneaut Lake Park, Crawford County, takes a calmer route with its new Jungle Island Zoo. one of the few amusement park zoos in the country to house both lions and tigers. Idlewild Park, Ligonier, offers new rides for kids and their parents this season. The Tri-Star is a three-armed ride which spins 21 gondolas through the air.

And Ricky's Racers are a new collection of automobiles made just for Idlewild's smallest patrons. No matter how many hours you've clocked at Pittsburgh-area amusement parks, don't underestimate their ability to keep the surprises coming again and again. WESTMORELAND SUZUKI SCHOOL OF Music SUMMER DAY CAMPS Discover Music Purvfiflrt Music Activities SUZUKI DAY CAMP 3 years to adult Violin, Viola, Cello, Flute, Guitar, Voice Creatures in Your Backyard (1 Adventures far (4-7) Adventures Around the World (4-7) Located in Greensburg Garden Civic Center 951 OW Satem Road (off Rl 66) 724-834-1066 Great Disposable Items To Make Your Entertaining Easy Fun Plates Napkins Cutlery Cups Table Coverings Candles Glasses Trays Bowls Catering Supplies Holiday and Seasonal Decorations 1800 Perm Avenue The Strip District TRAINING ACADEMT TRAIN FOR MUTI-SKILLED CAREERS IN: CALLNOWI New Kensington 1-8OO-660-347O Monroeville 7-800-497-3470 i I' By Tammy Ryan explosive dnrk comedy 2 1 i 'jMKnt.