East Windsor, CT
Riverside Park will be missed but not forgotten. Riverside became Six Flags in 2000.
We had just got done with our Family Reunion in Atlanta, GA in 1997 and we voted to have the next family reunion in Connecticut in 1999. My mom, me, and my cousins from Springfield, MA would plan for the next family reunion. This family reunion was going to be in East Windsor, CT. Me, my mom, and my cousins would meet up at Best Western hotel in East Windsor to discuss our plans. The Continental Breakfast would be at the family reunion and the family reunion would be from July 29- August 2. Some of our family reunion would be in Agawam, MA where then Riverside Park was (now Six Flags). Tickets was not too pricey when you go in the summer time. Food was included and me and my mom was checking out a good place that make t-shirts for the family reunion. I do believe the very first letter that was sent out was back in October of 1997 to all the families in Florida, Georgia, and my big brother from Los Angeles, CA.
Meanwhile, my mom had quite an embarrassing experience when we went to a t-shirt place in Glastonbury. There was a t-shirt store owner, a woman, and her chubby chocolate lab. The chocolate lab barked and this dog was definitely a hugger and ran up to my mom and licked her. My mom hollered because she didn't expect to be greeted in a place of business like this by someone's dog. This place was not the right place anyway because the price for family reunion t-shirts was too pricey at this t-shirt place. My mom would go to a t-shirt place in East Hartford, which was not too pricey and their motto is "if you like our store tell a friend about us but if you don't like our store tell us." This was a business oriented t-shirt store that thrived on the satisfaction of their customers. We made sure to send out letters to families in Florida, Georgia, and California ever few months because we were all about getting things done and over with. This was also giving the family time to come up with the money for the t-shirts, banquet, and Riverside park. Family got on the ball sending their money in advance. My Uncle paid $500 for family who didn't have their money in and some family paid their money on the very first day of the family reunion. What really was fun about Riverside was that everyone got to go on the rides, play games, and eat food for free because it was included when tickets were purchased at a discount that summer of 1999. Some of my mom's friends who were like family came to the family reunion, too and they paid their money like everyone else. There is always stuff you get for purchase at concession stands and that was the case at Riverside park. The banquet was held at Best Western hotel in East Windsor and there was fish or chicken that you got to choose to eat. I've been at so many banquets, so fancy food is what I'm used to eating at them.
I have to mention to y'all about the 2 crazy rides that I rode on at Riverside park. I'm a risk taker, meaning I will try out stuff from time to time that I know I will regret doing later on, lol. I took it upon myself to go on 2 of the craziest rides at the Park in Agawam because in 2000 Riverside is going to be a Six Flags. Y'all don't know about my fear of riding Roller Coasters. I remember riding a crazy Roller Coaster back when me and my family went to Disney World back in 1990. My older brother wanted us to go on this Roller Coaster. I remember they had a water fountain and some people who were nervous like myself drank water just before we rode this particular ride. All I can remember saying was, "I want to get off of this ride!" and hollering. My older brother wanted to ride the Roller Coaster again after were going down it very fast. For the most part I've always rode safe rides but like I say I will take a risk and do things out of my comfort zone from time to time. So I decided to go on 2 of the craziest rides at Riverside Park to try and prove a point. I rode Hellavator & Time Warp. I want to encourage you if you are scared to ride Roller Coasters, Hellavator and Time Warp is not recommended for you to try. When I rode Hellavator the ride was cool and whenever you go up in the air you went up slowly. Now when you come down that ride you went down very rapidly and it's goes faster when you go up and down the longer you are on the ride. Just imagine you're on an elevator and go up to the top floor but picture that same elevator when it goes all down to first floor how rapidly the elevator is, that's what I've experienced. My eyes were open when we went up in the air on Hellavator but my eyes were closed when that ride went down on Hellavator. Time Warp on the other hand, starts off fast, and goes rapidly. Picture yourself being on a ride spinning very fast in the air and looking like you flying over the whole park. You can't really see anyone because you are spinning so fast but you can tell that people are watching you ride that crazy ride. I had my eyes closed the whole time that I was on Time Warp up until that ride came to a complete stop. Hellavator had me hollering a little bit but Time Warp had me hollering the whole time I was on that ride and even after the ride finished. Lesson learned is never ride crazy rides like Hellavator and Time Warp that make Roller Coasters that you are scared to ride on look like riding a Ferris Wheel.
Anyway, I had a regular Gameboy that I was playing, the game was Home Alone. I told one of my little cousins that I could beat the game. He played the game and got beat like in the 2nd level. My cousins told a lot of little cousins that came up to CT from down south and my cousins were bugging me to play my Gameboy and beat Home Alone on my original Gameboy. This was the only system that I had left after I traded in my Regular Nintendo and Super Nintendo. I played this game after all of the events were over. I let my cousins that crowded around watch me beat Home Alone and I told them all step by step how I was beating each levels. In order to beat Home Alone the game, you have to blow up the furnace or else Marv and Harry capture Kevin. In the movie, a neighbor knock Marv and Harry out with a shovel. The results with Harry and Marv going to jail is the same in the movie and on the game. My cousin, and my Aunt stayed a little longer because my little cousin had his birthday August 4 and he had just turned 5. We went to Fun Zone in Wethersfield and celebrated my cousin's birthday. It was fun because his older sister and eldest brother were playing the games with their tokens. This family reunion till this day is still talked about. We had our family reunion in CT one time and family from down south said that it was very well organized and family in Florida and Georgia was glad to get away from the slower pace and hot and humid weather.
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