National Roller Coaster Day

National Roller Coaster Day is celebrated annually on August 16. It commemorates one of the first roller coaster patents, granted to Edwin Prescott in 1898 for a looping coaster. Prescott’s design, known as the vertical Loop the Loop, made history when it was built in 1901 on Surf Avenue in Coney Island, New York, where the iconic 1927 Cyclone now stands. This ride was a milestone in amusement engineering, paving the way for the thrilling loops and twists that define modern roller coasters.

When is National Roller Coaster Day?

National Roller Coaster Day is fixed on August 16 each year, giving thrill-seekers a perfect reason to celebrate adrenaline-pumping rides at amusement parks:

The History of Roller Coasters

The concept of roller coasters originated long before Prescott’s looping coaster. In 16th-century Russia, people built large wooden ramps and covered them with ice to create thrilling winter slides, known as Russian Mountains. These early rides inspired the names used in many European languages—montagnes russes in French and montagne russe in Italian.

Catherine the Great later added wheels to sleds, allowing year-round use, and the French developed early wheeled coasters on grooved wooden tracks. In the United States, the first modern roller coaster was LaMarcus Adna Thompson’s Gravity Pleasure Switchback Railway, which opened at Coney Island in 1884. Other innovations included the looping Flip Flap Railway and figure-eight coasters, laying the groundwork for today’s engineering marvels.

Notable Early Coasters

• Luna Park Scenic Railways – Known for their inventive designs around the turn of the 20th century.

• Leap-the-Dips – The oldest surviving wooden coaster, still operating in Pennsylvania.

• Tivoli Gardens Scenic Railway – A historic European example of early thrill rides.

Top Roller Coasters in the World

Roller coaster enthusiasts can explore thrilling rides across the globe. Some of the top 25 roller coasters in 2024 include:

• Kondaa – Walibi Belgium
• Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure – Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Florida
• Steel Vengeance – Cedar Point, Ohio
• Jurassic World VelociCoaster – Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Florida
• Taiga – Linnanmäki, Finland

These selections showcase the evolution of coaster engineering, from towering wooden classics to hyper-intense modern steel rides.

Fun Ways to Celebrate National Roller Coaster Day

National Roller Coaster Day offers opportunities to enjoy and learn about roller coasters beyond just riding them:

• Ride Your Favorite Coaster: Visit local amusement parks and try new attractions.

• Follow Coaster Enthusiasts: Connect with influencers like @coasterbot or @coasterforce for insights and videos.

• Play Roller Coaster Games: Design virtual parks in games like Planet Coaster or RollerCoaster Tycoon.

• Plan a Coaster Road Trip: Map visits to iconic parks such as Hersheypark, Kings Island, and Busch Gardens.

• Build a LEGO Roller Coaster: Use sets like LEGO Creator Expert Roller Coaster to explore coaster design at home.

• Visit Museums: The National Roller Coaster Museum in Texas showcases coaster artifacts and history.

• Explore Coaster History: Watch documentaries or YouTube videos on roller coaster evolution.

National Roller Coaster Day is a perfect excuse to celebrate engineering, history, and thrill-seeking fun. From looping coasters to modern steel giants, it’s a day to appreciate the creativity and excitement behind these iconic amusement rides.

Before You Go:

We have many more national days lists for you to explore.

• Food-related national days: complete list of national food days, pasta & noodles days, vegan & vegetarian days, mushroom days, ice-cream days, pizza days, coffee days, chocolate days, wine days, alcohol & drinking days.
• Non-food national days: National Days Calendar 2025 (check out the printable calendars in my Etsy shop), National Days for Teachers, and a wide array of special lists such as cat days, dog days, animal days, cleaning & organizing days, book days, music days, family & relationships days, national days for women, stationery days and even Harry Potter days.
• Country-specific national days: Australian national days, more coming soon.

📝 This article was originally published on August 4th, 2024. It has been thoroughly updated, and the publishing date has been changed to reflect the new version.