After a fire destroyed a beloved Youngstown amusement park in 1984, a Canfield man collected pieces of Idora Park. Jim Amey and his wife Toni started sharing what they collected in 2013 through theIdora Park Experience. The museum opens Friday for its once-a-year, three-day run. Toni Amey said people can reconnect with their childhood memories.
“So, it’s really just come and have an experience, expect to engage. If your thing is just coming through and looking at stuff, then that’s great; you can do that too. If you want to come in and take photos, play video games. We have a video about Idora and the building of the museum, you can sit down and watch the video. So there’s all kinds of things you can do,” Amey said.
The 4,400-square-foot museum has the most extensive collection of the park’s artifacts. Some of the collection includes: the complete Kiddietrain; Wildcat and Jack Rabbit coaster cars; Turtles from the Turtle ride; a Silver Rocket Ship; a chariot from the Kooky Castle; A Rapids/Lost River Boat; Original Signage; and more. Idora Park Arcade games will be available, with a chance to win prizes, which only take quarters, dimes, and pennies. And there will be authentic Idora Park cotton candy made with the original equipment and recipe. There will also be handcrafted and commemorative items that will only be sold in the museum and not online.
It’s open this weekend from noon to 5PM each day. Tickets can only be purchased at the booth for $5. Children ages 12 and under are free of charge. The location of the museum is 4450 S. Turner Road, Canfield, Ohio 44406.
Several scenes from the 1981 film "All the Marbles" were shot at Idora Park:
