By Joe Puccio

Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey might be more famous but northeast amusement park aficionados are well aware that when it comes to affordable, family friendly, state-of-the-art entertainment complexes, Adventureland is the place to be. Located on Long Island in suburban New York, the popular mecca has been enchanting both children and adults since 1962, over ten years longer than its Garden State competitor.

Boasting more than 30 rides, including three roller coasters, two water-based structures, bumper cars, and even a haunted train trip, the park’s wide variety of mechanical devices built to either thrill or relax guests – or sometimes both – have proved to be satisfying to the hundreds of thousands of people who attend each year.

In addition to the plethora of apparatuses designed to get your adrenaline pumping and your temperament playful, Adventureland possesses an eclectic array of activities and attractions. From the Midway Market, where souvenirs such as t-shirts, dolls, and toys are aplenty, to the capacious arcade, with an abundance of cool prizes waiting to be won, to Tony’s Tavern, a cozy hut serving thirst-quenching adult beverages, there is quite literally something for everyone’s tastes at the 12-acre carnival on the thriving Route 110 (Broad Hollow Road) in East Farmingdale.

To set itself apart from its rivals, Adventureland hosted a semi-unconventional sight for a fairground on Friday night, July 17, in the form of a drone show. The stunning light spectacle, which began at 9pm, an ideal time to take full advantage of the dark skies before closing time, wowed the abundant crowds who gathered throughout the park’s grounds to witness the synchronized aerial performance. Shapes, objects, and text lit up the heavens in various incarnations, such as ice cream cones, boats, balloons, the American flag, and even an appropriate “I Love LI” message as the strains of Billy Joel, Neil Diamond, Taylor Swift, and John Mellencamp delighted the auditory senses of all in attendance.

The dynamic 3D images, all perfectly succinct, created an impressive trance of those watching. It was the undeniable main draw of the evening, a coup considering all of the other highlights, both the cherished standard ones, including the multitude of bazaar food options like funnel cake and fudge and the requisite booth games like the ring toss and whac-a-mole, as well as the unique deviations to amuse the masses.

Take Team Fun Entertainment, for example. For nearly a decade, the group has been one of the top recreation acts across the tri-state area. Depending on the occasion, the talented crew showcases everything from balloon twisting to fortune telling to contortionism. Performing on the landmark Adventureland Stage, two of its players were fully in the zone on this beautiful summer night as they displayed their knack for intricate juggling, hula hooping with multiple rings, expressive dance, and basic, amusing comedy.

Although its fabulous sky party of lights is in the rear-view mirror for now, it’s clear that Adventureland is about more than just one singular happening. With its constantly rotating calendar of events as well as the old reliables, everybody should make it their business to visit “Long Island’s Amusement Park Since 1962.”

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