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Cast your vote for WinterFest!

Kings Island Blog readers, we need your help! WinterFest has been nominated for Best Theme Park Holiday Event in the 2018 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice travel awards contest. You can cast a vote once per day until voting ends December 10 at noon ET. The winning event, determined by your vote, will be announced December 21.

Your Guide to the Eats and Treats at WinterFest

There’s something for everyone in the family to enjoy together at Kings Island’s WinterFest, like ice skating on the Royal Fountain, seeing the Eiffel Tower transformed into a magical 314-foot tall Christmas tree, live shows, millions of dazzling lights, rides and holiday characters spreading merriment like Jack Frost, Candy Cane and the Sugar Plum Fairy. But one of my favorite parts about WinterFest is all the delicious holiday treats. It’s hard to pick a favorite.

Offseason maintenance a Beast of a project for Kings Island's behind-the-scenes crews

For Kings Island’s maintenance crews and ride technicians, their busiest time of year is now underway. The process began as soon as the last rides were given on the final operating day of the regular season for all of the non-WinterFest rides and attractions with the removal of cars and transporting them to the maintenance shops where they’ll be stripped down to every last nut and bolt. Everything will be disassembled, looked at and rebuilt over the winter.

WinterFest fills 25 nights of holiday cheer

This holiday season, get ready for an unforgettable experience with your loved ones at Kings Island’s WinterFest. Guests of all ages will discover the magic within 10 enchanting winter wonderlands including more than 5 million lights, ice skating on the Royal Fountain, festive characters, rides, live shows, and the Eiffel Tower transformed into a magical Christmas tree.

Warren County Board of Developmental Disabilities names Kings Island Employer of the Year

Kings Island has been named Employer of the Year by the Warren County Board of Developmental Disabilities. This award was given in recognition of our longstanding partnership in hiring, developing and accommodating individuals with disabilities at our park. Creating a culture of inclusivity is one of the most important things we do as an institutional employer in Cincinnati.

Farewell Firehawk: Steel roller coaster to give last rides this weekend

This weekend. That’s all the time our guests have left to ride Firehawk before the steel roller coaster gives its final rides on Sunday, Oct. 28. Firehawk originally debuted in 2001 as X-Flight at World of Adventure in Aurora, Ohio. After six seasons of operation there, the ride was relocated by the Cedar Fair Entertainment Company to Kings Island, opening as Firehawk in 2007.

Kings Island Throwback: Evel Knievel jumps motorcycle over 14 Greyhound buses

Evel Knievel, the death-defying daredevil, made his most successful motorcycle jump 43 years ago at Kings Island on Oct. 25, 1975. Reaching a speed of 95 mph as he took off from the starting ramp, Knievel sailed 133 in the air on his Harley-Davidson XR-750 before hitting the 14th bus as he landed, nearly breaking his bike in half. However, he was able to successfully complete the longest jump of his career with a world record for distance that remained unbroken for 24 years.

Last chance to check out Halloween Haunt and The Great Pumpkin Fest

Greater Cincinnati residents and visitors alike have this weekend to experience Halloween Haunt and The Great Pumpkin Fest before the events disappear for another year. This weekend also is the last chance for thrill-seekers to get in their last rides of the year on attractions like The Beast, Banshee, Diamondback, Vortex, Drop Tower and Delirium before they take a long winter’s nap, and their last-ever rides on Firehawk which will be retired after giving its final rides on Sunday.

Ch-Ch-Changes!

Revising the WinterFest Experience Guide is a Beast of a project. It requires a close attention to detail, a plethora of information, and an unyielding resolve for tracking down the answers you need. Above all else, however, this process requires patience. There is so much that can change from one year to the next; it takes time to sort through and finalize all of the adjustments taking place across the entire Park.

Around the Corner: Sights, Sounds and Spirit of the Holidays at Kings Island

The holidays begin at Kings Island with the return of WinterFest on select nights Nov. 23 through Dec. 31. You’ll step into a world where the holiday spirit comes to life. A world where every moment becomes a memory. A world filled with the magic of the season. From flavors of the holidays to festive entertainment, here is what we are most excited to experience during WinterFest.