I've always loved fairs and theme parks! I grew up in Western Washington and it was a must - we had to do the Puyallup Fair every year. It's one of the ten largest fairs in the country and it seemed extra massive when I was a kid. Even now, I always feel the urge to plan a trip home to see family when September rolls around and the fair is kicking off.

I was lucky enough to live in Tampa for a couple years. Busch Gardens was just a few miles away. Disney World and Universal Studios were 90 minutes away. And working at a radio station meant there was always free passes to score from the marketing director! The only bad part is our daughter was so young that she doesn't remember any of the fun she got to have with multiple visits to each place.

With all that being said, I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't been to Silverwood Theme Park yet. I moved to Montana with a newborn - not the ideal age for roller coaster riding. Now she's a little over two-and-a-half and would probably enjoy the trip.....but COVID pretty much wiped out the last year. Fingers crossed we'll make a Silverwood trip this summer. And if we do, hopefully the park's newest addition will be ready to roll. Have you seen the details about the new Stunt Pilot ride that's being built?

It looks pretty cool! 106 feet high, 52 MPH, and 1,800 feet of track that just started to be put into place last week. Check out the video below to see what it'll look like when it's completed.

I didn't realize the history of planes when it comes to Silverwood but the ride is based off of air shows from the past:

"Before the roller coasters and water slides dominated the skies of Silverwood, there was a train, a small village, and planes. As visitors sat on the Main Street Lawn, they would watch vintage airplanes loop through the air and perform death-defying maneuvers at breakneck speeds.

For 8 years, Silverwood was the only theme park in the world to feature daily air shows for its guests. However, due to some close calls, and a tragic air show crash in Spokane, we decided to ground the Silverwood Air Show in 1996...but in 2021, the spirit of those shows will return in the form of a new stunt plane themed roller coaster!

Jump into the cockpit of a Pitts Special biplane as this single-rail coaster climbs over 105 feet into the sky and dives toward the earth below. Experience hairpin turns, aerobatic maneuvers and 3 inversions as the coaster speeds through heart-stopping obstacles before returning back to the hanger. Get ready to hold on tight and take flight on Stunt Pilot. Opening summer 2021."

Visit Silverwood Theme Park online to learn more about the park and to purchase tickets.

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