ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Dorney Park has officially closed for the season, but not before one frequent visitor got to continue a long-standing tradition.
78-year-old Cliff Herring loves roller coasters.
“Growing up is so overrated,” said Herring.
But the Thunderhawk at Dorney Park has been his favorite since 1983.
“I bought the first season pass ever offered here, and I’ve been coming to the park ever since,” said Herring.
Herring has been on the coaster so many times, he’s in pictures at the park.
“That’s me, right there,” said Herring.
And he has a special tradition there.
“I get the first seat for the first public ride. At the end of the season, I will come down for the last public ride in the last seat. So, I’m literally the first one on, last one off every year,” said Herring.
And he was right there Saturday night for the last ride of 2026, despite the cold.
“It was 45 degrees on Saturday night for my last ride, and I was bundled up. I had a sweatshirt under this. I had the hood up. It was colder than you know what, but it was great,” said Herring.
It’s a tradition Herring is determined to keep going as long as he’s alive, and the coaster is still standing.
“Someone asked me, ‘What if we tore the ride down?’ And I said I would lie in front of the bulldozer, because that would be a travesty,” said Herring.
And despite his age, Herring has a goal that’s still several years off.
“I would like to live to be, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Dorney Park, which will be celebrated in 2034, because it was started in ’84,” said Herring.
A celebration of a lifetime of fun our cameras will join him for.
“We don’t have enough things in life to really enjoy. We’re always at each other’s throats. Come out here and enjoy the ride for what it is,” said Herring.
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