Here are today’s 11 verified theme park & live event stories, covering Theme Parks & Roller Coasters, Stadiums & Arenas and Live Music & Venues.
Every item below links to its original source.
The TLDR
- Theme Parks & Roller Coasters: Arnolds Park’s Mad Mouse Coaster Retires After 67 Years
- Stadiums & Arenas: Arsenal Renews Emirates Stadium Naming Rights Through 2033
- Live Music & Venues: Morrissey’s Las Vegas Residency Cancelled
Theme Parks & Roller Coasters
Arnolds Park’s Mad Mouse Coaster Retires After 67 Years
Arnolds Park Amusement Park in Iowa retired its Mad Mouse roller coaster on July 29, closing out 67 years of operation across three different amusement parks. The steel coaster originally opened in 1959 at Bell’s Amusement Park in Tulsa, Oklahoma, then moved to Joyland Amusement Park in Lubbock, Texas, before arriving at Arnolds Park, according to People. One of the coaster’s vintage cars will be preserved at the Arnolds Park Museum, and mechanical parts will go to Little Amerricka Amusement Park in Wisconsin, home to the last operating Mad Mouse model in the world. Arnolds Park plans to debut a new attraction in 2027.
Enchanted Parks Gears Up for National Roller Coaster Day
Enchanted Parks is preparing for National Roller Coaster Day on Sunday, August 16, with special activities across its portfolio of 39 roller coasters, reports Amusement Today. Great Escape in New York will offer passholders early ride time on The Bobcat and Raging River, while Michigan’s Adventure and Valleyfair will hand commemorative pins to the first 500 riders on Shivering Timbers and Wild Thing. Six Flags St. Louis is opening its coasters for an exclusive evening session with a DJ, with all activities included in standard admission. Fans chasing bigger thrills in today’s theme park news can also browse our list of the tallest roller coasters in the world.
Courtny Hinds Named NICA’s Next Executive Director
The National Independent Concessionaires Association has named Courtny Hinds, currently executive director and general manager of the Wyoming State Fair & Event Complex, as its next executive director, according to Amusement Today. Hinds officially starts September 14, 2026, and will work alongside outgoing director Rey O’Day through February 14, 2027, during a planned transition. She is a second-generation concessionaire holding three professional credentials — CAE, CCE and CFE — a combination no other fair-industry professional currently holds.
Smithsonian Reveals Why It Closed Seven DC Museums
Seven Smithsonian museums and buildings along the National Mall, including the National Museum of the American Indian and the Hirshhorn Museum, closed after a cooling-system failure tied to an outage at a GSA chilled-water plant, per The Independent. The outage knocked out humidity and climate control needed to protect the buildings’ collections. The Smithsonian said the affected sites were expected to reopen once the cooling issue was resolved.
Six Flags Great America Reveals Character-Free ‘Camp Timber Trail’ Land
Six Flags Great America is building a new land called Camp Timber Trail, opening in 2027 within the park’s existing Yukon Territory, according to Attractions Magazine. The nine-experience area mixes three new attractions and four rethemed rides with two preserved historic favorites — Logger’s Run, dating to the park’s 1976 opening, and the relocated Little Dipper. Unlike many recent theme park expansions, Camp Timber Trail skips licensed movie or TV characters in favor of an original woodland and campfire theme.
Little Mermaid Ride Exterior Refurbishment Begins at Disney California Adventure
Disney California Adventure has begun an exterior repainting project on The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, with construction walls and scaffolding now covering the right side of the building, reports WDW News Today. The ride itself remains open throughout the work, and the refurbishment is limited to the building’s exterior rather than the attraction inside.
Stadiums & Arenas
Arsenal Renews Emirates Stadium Naming Rights Through 2033
Arsenal has extended its naming-rights and shirt sponsorship deal with Emirates through 2033, keeping the Gunners’ home as Emirates Stadium, according to Coliseum. The extension continues the Premier League’s longest-running front-of-shirt partnership, which began in 2006 and also covers training kits, Arsenal’s women’s and youth teams, and stadium naming rights. The renewal follows Arsenal’s Premier League title win in the 2025-26 season.
US Open Ticket Prices Surge Despite Sinner and Alcaraz Injury Questions
US Open tennis ticket prices are climbing sharply ahead of the August 30 start, with the average get-in price up 26% year-over-year to $322 and opening-round tickets up 47% to $250, according to Front Office Sports. The surge comes even as top seeds Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz face injury uncertainty — Sinner withdrew from Cincinnati on August 9 with a knee issue, while Alcaraz has been dealing with a wrist injury since April. Analysts say demand has stayed strong regardless, spread across a deep field that includes women’s stars Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff.
Live Music & Venues
Morrissey’s Las Vegas Residency Cancelled
Morrissey’s four-night residency at the Encore Theater inside Wynn Las Vegas, set for August 14, 15, 18 and 19, has been cancelled, according to Pollstar. Ticketholders received an email citing “unforeseen logistical issues,” and a note on the singer’s website said the shows “cannot happen for logistical reasons outside of Morrissey’s control.” No further details on refunds were included in the cancellation notice.
Fuerza Regida Adds Second Leg of This Is Our Dream Tour
Fuerza Regida has announced a 10-date second leg of its This Is Our Dream Tour, running from an October 3 launch in Tinley Park, Illinois, through a November 2 close at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, per Billboard. The new dates hit amphitheaters and arenas in states including North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and California. Fans wanting another look at how outdoor venues host touring acts can check out ThrillZing’s profile of Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre.
LA Jazz Festival Abruptly Cancelled on Opening Day
The inaugural Los Angeles Jazz Festival, a 17-day event featuring John Legend and Janelle Monáe, was cancelled on August 7, the same day it was scheduled to kick off, according to Pollstar. Organizer Martin Ludlow cited “significant, unanticipated last-minute public safety and municipal costs” tied to permitting, after the festival had projected roughly 250,000 attendees. Ticketholders are set to be fully refunded within 30 days, and organizers say they plan to relaunch the festival in 2027.
Explore more: tallest roller coasters in the world, Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre.
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