Lakeside Amusement Park attracted thrill-seekers from around the region to Salem for decades and, although it closed 30 years ago, the famous park is still remembered fondly. The Salem Museum’s Speaker Series for May will feature Blue Ridge PBS’s newest documentary, Lakeside: 66 Years of Fun in the Sun. This trip back through time and down memory lane will be presented by Carol Jennings, the film’s producer. The documentary will be shown at the Salem Museum on Monday, May 15 at 7 pm.
Relive cherished memories of Lakeside, or learn about the park for the first time. The sounds of the roller coaster flying down the tracks, screams and squeals of delight, blinking lights, and cotton candy: those are but a few of the happy Lakeside memories that are still so fresh in people’s minds. What began as a 2-million gallon pool in the 1920s eventually became a grand amusement park with rides and games, an iconic wooden roller coaster, and concerts from the likes of Conway Twitty, Rick Nelson and many more. The event is free of charge, and the public is welcome.
-Submitted by Fran Ferguson