Cedar Point expands food selection, adds after-hours, exclusive ride access for adults
Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer.
It also marks the start of daily operations at Cedar Point.
The Sandusky amusement park plans to usher in summer — not with a new ride or attraction — but with music, food and some tasty drinks.
Sure the old favorites are still there, like the Steel Vengeance and Cedar Downs, but the park continues to double down on its food offerings and overall guest experience, particularly for those looking for something other than thrills.
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The park's Frontier Festival kicks off Thursday and runs through June 19. For more information, visit https://www.cedarpoint.com/.
There are a number of food booths along with games and entertainment, including actors dressed in frontier-era garb who interact with guests in and around the park's popular Maverick roller coaster.
This year's festival is a debut of sorts for the park's new Farmhouse Kitchen & Grill, which was built in the offseason where the old Antique Cars attraction once stood in the heart of Frontier Town.
Cedar Point's new food
Guests can purchase a tasting card (remember the park is cash-free this summer so be sure to bring along a debit or credit card) and sample from more than 25 cherry-inspired items including cherry buffalo chicken tenders, fried cherry hand pies, cherry chipotle chili and even a cherry cola braised beef pizza.
R.J. Sinwald, Cedar Point’s executive chef, said his crew spent the offseason tweaking and coming up with the menu for this year's festival as well as all of the food offerings throughout the park.
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Staples like corn dogs and pizza, of course, are still offered throughout the park.
But Sinwald, who has been with the park since 2019, said guests are looking for more creative and ambitious dishes when visiting Cedar Point.
A personal favorite of Sinwald this season is a glazed donut bacon cheeseburger that is $8.95.
""I love it," he said. "It's just greasy enough to be fantastic. It has that messy old silver diner feel to it."
The donuts are made in-house.
And Sinwald said they are making strides to ensure the ingredients to make everything from the new barbacoa nachos to the steak fajita tacos to the mojo whole hog sliders are locally sourced.
"We will always have the other things like the corn dogs and pizza," he said. "We are just trying to elevate and push the culinary limit to what a guest can expect when visiting our park."
Cedar Point adults-only party
The park is also looking to convince some guests to hang around a bit longer after it closes for the night.
Spokesman Tony Clark said there will be special Wild Frontier Nights for guests ages 21 and older.
Tickets start at $99.99 and after the park closes, those with tickets can hang around the Lusty Lil’s Palace Theatre, where there will be entertainment along with special drink offerings, ax throwing, mechanical bull riding and food items.
Wild Frontier Nights will be from 9 p.m. to midnight June 3, 4, 10 and 11 and include private access to select rides including Steel Vengeance, Maverick, Skyhawk, Cedar Creek Mine Ride and Wave Swinger.
"This particular evening event is just for the adults," he said.
Craig Webb can be reached at cwebb@thebeaconjournal.com.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cedar Point offering exclusive ride access at adults-only events
