ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Dorney Park has officially closed for the season, but not before one frequent visitor got to continue a long-standing tradition.<\/p>\n
78-year-old Cliff Herring loves roller coasters.<\/p>\n
“Growing up is so overrated,” said Herring.<\/p>\n
But the Thunderhawk at Dorney Park has been his favorite since 1983.<\/p>\n
“I bought the first season pass ever offered here, and I’ve been coming to the park ever since,” said Herring.<\/p>\n
Herring has been on the coaster so many times, he’s in pictures at the park.<\/p>\n
“That’s me, right there,” said Herring.<\/p>\n
And he has a special tradition there.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
And he was right there Saturday night for the last ride of 2026, despite the cold.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
It’s a tradition Herring is determined to keep going as long as he’s alive, and the coaster is still standing.<\/p>\n
“Someone asked me, \u2018What if we tore the ride down?\u2019 And I said I would lie in front of the bulldozer, because that would be a travesty,” said Herring.<\/p>\n
And despite his age, Herring has a goal that’s still several years off.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
A celebration of a lifetime of fun our cameras will join him for.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
\nCopyright 2026 Maranatha Broadcasting Co., Inc.. All Rights Reserved.\n<\/p>\n
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