Canada’s Wonderland opens today (May 5) with new rides and a full lineup of events and entertainment in store for the 2023 season, including a new Brazilian food festival and the return of guest favourites: long weekend fireworks, Celebration Canada, KidZFest, and Halloween Haunts.

The popular theme park, located in Vaughan, just north of Toronto, will feature two new rides: Tundra Twister, a giant 360-degree spinning swing ride coming to Frontier Canada. The only one of its kind in the world, Tundra Twister will have guests spinning, twisting, and twirling upside-down at heights of 47 m. and speeds of 75 km/h.

Families will discover Snoopy’s Racing Railway, a launch coaster in Planet Snoopy. The park’s 18th roller coaster and will accelerate from zero to 50 km/h in a matter of seconds before taking guests through the dips and turns of a wild railway adventure.

“We’re proud to offer such a diversity of experiences to our guests,” says Wonderland GM Norm Pirtovshek. “Through four seasons we have more than 200 attractions at the park, rides for guests of all ages and world-class events and entertainment that can’t be missed.”

The 2023 event lineup includes:

 

• Fireworks (May 21, July 1, Aug. 6, Sept. 3) – A display of explosive light is choreographed to a lively soundtrack. New this year, guests will be able to purchase VIP fireworks viewing and dining packages at Lazy Bear Lodge where they’ll have the best seats in the house for the big show. Limited availability.

 

• Splash Works (Opening May 27) – The 8-hectare water park features 17 slides, cliff jumping, water playgrounds, Lazy River and more.

 

• Celebration Canada (July 1-9) – Features live music, street entertainment, cultural performances, and interactive family games. Canadian foods from across the country include beef sliders, poutine, Halifax donair and more.

 

• KidZfest (July 15-July 30) – Presented in partnership with Treehouse, the festival features special guest appearances from favourite TV characters like Bluey, plus a dance party, interactive games, activities, and live kids’ entertainment.

 

• Taste of Portugal (Aug. 12-13) – Returning for its second year, this festival celebrates the time-worn charm of Portugal, with lively street entertainment and traditional foods including succulent roast chicken and Portuguese custard tarts.

 

• NEW! Taste of Brazil (Aug.19-20) – New for 2023, the festival features samba music, dancing, and the flavours of the South American nation, including grilled meats and chimichurri, bolinho de bacalhau (salt cod fritters), crispy pastel de carne (meat-filled pastries) and feijoada (Brazilian black bean stew).

 

• Taste of the Caribbean (Aug. 26-27) – Back for its second year, the festival serves up jerk chicken, specialty seafood, rum cake and coconut sweets, fruity summer drinks, and other island favourites, all to the sounds of lively steel drum music.

 

• Oktoberfest (Sept. 9-10, 16-17) – For two weekends, guests will be treated to German-themed food, drink specials and traditional festival bands in Medieval Faire. Park guests can tuck into classic sausage, schnitzel, Bavarian pretzels, and a tall stein of refreshing lager.

 

• Camp Spooky (weekends Sept. 23-Oct. 29) – The family-friendly Halloween event returns with trick-or-treating, mazes, costume parades, live shows, interactive games, rides and more.

In addition to these events, the theme park will also feature world-class live entertainment through the summer, including the return of the daring Ultimate Thrills Circus, the stunt dive show Fall Out, the Victoria Falls High Divers, Woofjocks, performances with Snoopy and the Peanuts gang, and the return of the cirque-style show, Cirque Ambiente.

All events and shows noted above are included with park admission.

Meanwhile, Halloween Haunt returns on select nights Sept. 22 to Oct. 29 with eight mazes, expanded immersive areas, hundreds of monsters, and live entertainment, including the return of the Day of the Dead Festival. Guests can explore four new mazes including “Dark Ride,” where guests must face the horrors waiting for them in an abandoned carnival attraction.

And then the park transforms into a world of holiday magic for WinterFest, running select nights Nov. 17 to Dec. 31.