National Roller Coaster Day Date in the current year: August 16, 2024

A roller coaster, also spelled rollercoaster, is one of the most popular amusement rides. It employs a form of elevated railroad track designed with steep slopes, tight turns, inversions, and other thrill elements. One of the most common roller coaster inversions is a vertical loop, but it is far from being the only one. Other inverting roller coaster elements include banana roll, batwing, butterfly, cobra roll, corkscrew, dive drop, pretzel knot, pretzel loop, sea serpent, zero-gravity roll, and others.

The history of roller coasters can be traced to the 17th century. A predecessor to the present-day roller coaster were the so-called Russian Mountains, which, in turn, were descended from Russian winter sled rides. They originated in Saint Petersburg and spread to the rest of Europe from there.

The first modern roller coaster opened in Paris in July 1817. For nearly three decades, roller coasters were an attraction for the upper classes. The first roller coasters designed for the middle class were installed in Tivoli, an amusement park that opened in Copenhagen in 1843.

However, the popularity of roller coasters declined significantly in the first half of the 20th century due to the impact of the Great Depression on the amusement park industry. Their revival began in the 1950s, following the opening of the first Disneyland in Anaheim, California and the introduction of a tubular steel track. The first modern-day roller coaster with an inverting element opened at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California in 1975.

The origin of National Roller Coaster Day is somewhat muddy, but it is known that the holiday has been celebrated since at least 1986. Its date was chosen to commemorate the US patent for the first vertical loop roller coaster that was received by Edwin Prescott on August 16, 1898.

The best way to celebrate National Roller Coaster Day is, of course, to go to an amusement park with your friends and ride as many roller coasters as you can. Some amusement parks offer discounts and even free rides on the occasion of the holiday, so make the most of these promotions! And don’t forget to share photos from your trip on social media with the hashtag #RollerCoasterDay.

National Roller Coaster Day is the perfect day to muster up your courage and ride one of the roller coasters that have always scared you, although if you don’t want to leave your comfort zone as far as roller coasters are concerned, that’s totally ok! You also can try a virtual reality roller coaster, which will bring you the excitement of a traditional roller coaster without the associated dangers.

By the way, National Roller Coaster Day is not the only holiday for fans of amusement rides. There’s also National Merry-Go-Round Day promoted by the National Carousel Association. It has been celebrated every July 25 since 2014.