Coaster Con

Coaster Con is the flagship event of American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE). Typically held the third or fourth week of each June, Coaster Con usually lasts five to seven days. Numerous exclusive ride time (ERT) sessions that allow attendees to ride coasters before and after the park is open to the public make for shorter lines and enthusiastic camaraderie. However, Coaster Con is far more than just riding some of the nation’s most exciting roller coasters. Presentations, workshops, behind-the-scenes tours, a photo contest and a video contest are just some of the activities one finds at Coaster Con. A gala banquet, where dignitaries from the amusement industry appear as featured keynote speakers, also is one of the event’s highlights.

Featured here is everything there is to know about Coaster Con, from the very latest news about future ACE conventions to a complete history of previous ones, along with photo albums.

The first Coaster Con was held June 9-11, 1978, at Busch Gardens: The Old Country in Williamsburg, Virginia, with just over 50 enthusiasts in attendance. These days the conventions are multiday affairs with 400 to 800 attendees.

Coaster Con 47 is scheduled to take place June 15 to 20, 2025, at Six Flags Great America, Little Amerricka and Indiana Beach. Click here for more details.

COASTER CON 47 INFO
Coaster Con 47 Final Schedule

Coaster Con I

The first Coaster Con was held June 9-11, 1978, at Busch Gardens: The Old Country in Williamsburg, Virginia, with just over 50 enthusiasts in attendance. Convention events included two days of lectures, film and slide shows, exhibits, models and, of course, visits to Busch Gardens, all for an $8 registration fee. It was during this convention that enthusiasts got to experience the first-ever exclusive ride time (ERT) on the Loch Ness Monster. On the final day of the convention, a new organization was born out of an impromptu meeting of about fifteen individuals who attended the first business meeting. New officers were elected and the name American Coaster Enthusiasts was chosen from a list of suggestions that included American Coaster Riders, United States Coaster Enthusiasts, Roller Coaster Club of America, International Coaster Club, American Coaster Hobbyists and National Coaster Enthusiasts. Since that time ACE has held Coaster Con at various parks across the country.

History

For more information, select from the buttons below to view details of past conventions.

1978 - 1991

1992 - 2005

2006 - 2019

2020 - Present

Photo Albums

Coaster Con XXXVII (2014)

Coaster Con XXXVIII (2015)

Coaster Con XXXIX (2016)

Coaster Con XL (2017)

Coaster Con 41 (2018)

Coaster Con 42 (2019)

Coaster Con 43 (2021)

Coaster Con 44 (2022)

Coaster Con 45 (2023)