Michigan's Adventure is swapping roller coasters for candy canes this holiday season. The Muskegon theme park will debut its first-ever Happiness Is Christmas event beginning Nov. 27, offering free admission to a Peanuts-themed holiday celebration with no rides running during the series.
According to WOOD TV, the inaugural event series will run Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays between Nov. 27 and Dec. 19, giving families roughly three weeks of holiday programming without the usual coaster lineup. Theme park rides and roller coasters will not be operating during the event series, the station reports, making this a shopping-and-strolling affair rather than a thrill-ride outing.
Hours vary by day: the event runs from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, with opening day on Nov. 27 starting at 2 p.m., per the same station's report. The event is described as a free holiday-themed celebration for West Michigan families that will include all-ages activities and costumed mascot appearances.
A Gift From the Park's New President
Michigan's Adventure President Carson Weingart framed the new event as a community offering. “Our new 'Happiness Is Christmas' event is a gift to our community,” Weingart said, according to the station's report.
The park's own calendar page echoes that framing, describing an all-new seasonal event built around festive family photos, letters to Santa, cookie decorating and sweet seasonal treats, per miadventure.enchantedparks.com. As reported by MLive, the event launches at the park's front plaza and includes photo visits with Snoopy, a Snoopy Boutique selling Peanuts merchandise and holiday-exclusive items, and a Peppermint Patty's Candy Shop offering cookie decorating. MLive also reports that a Sweets & Treats stand will serve hot chocolate, warm apple cider, cinnamon-roasted nuts, cinnamon kettle corn and holiday cotton candy, while a Holiday Square area will feature local food trucks, twinkling lights and festive decorations.
New Ownership, New Passes
The free holiday push comes as Michigan's Adventure settles into a new chapter. The park's website states it is now under new management and part of the Enchanted Parks family. MLive additionally reports that the park is owned by EPR Properties and operated by Enchanted Parks, and that it has operated since 1956.
During the event, the park plans to sell 2027 season passes, according to MLive's reporting. Separately, the park's website advertises those passes as starting at $11 per month, per miadventure.enchantedparks.com.
A Shift From Last Year's Shortened Season
The new Christmas event marks a change in direction for the park after a rocky 2025. The Detroit Free Press reported last year that Michigan's Adventure cut its season short and canceled its Tricks and Treats fall event, which had featured Halloween decorations, rides, Camp Spooky, candy and entertainment including Snoopy and the Peanuts gang in costume. More recently, MLive reported in June that the park was planning a Fourth of July celebration featuring its first-ever hot dog eating contest, water stunt shows and live music performances, part of what appears to be a broader push toward themed seasonal events beyond its usual coaster-driven appeal.
Full details on Happiness Is Christmas, including hours and activities, are available at miadventure.enchantedparks.com.
