The excitement about the 100th Anniversary of the iconic Giant Dipper is building! Help us celebrate with some unique collectible commemorative merch. Get an inside peek into the Boardwalk’s retail team, The Walk store, and the limited edition merchandise available during this monumental season in this exclusive article, written in collaboration with Assistant Retail Manager, Jonathan Rogers.

This year marks the Giant Dipper’s 100th anniversary! To honor this remarkable milestone, the Boardwalk is hosting a variety of fun events, offering cool promotions, and providing some fresh new merchandise. Join us this season as we celebrate A Century Of Thrills – 100 Years of Unforgettable Twists & Turns!

Its an exciting time at the Boardwalk! On March 3rd, the Boardwalk was publicly recognized at IAAPA (The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) in Las Vegas with the Brass Ring Award for Best Midway Games. This prestigious award is given out once a year to one amusement park, and holds an honor of great esteem that the Boardwalk Games Department has worked hard to achieve. We interviewed a handful of Games Department members to learn more about them and explore the factors that led to this achievement.

You might be wondering, what happens at the Boardwalk during the wintertime? After the holidays, when rides are closed during the week, it may seem like there’s not much going on here. To the untrained eye it may look quiet along the ‘walk, but behind the scenes, there’s much more to the story. 

As we reflect back on 2023 we are grateful for another wonderful season at the Boardwalk’s Cocoanut Grove. With organizations, companies, and local artists returning to in-person events, the venue once again provided a vibrant hub for unforgettable gatherings. Boardwalk guests may be familiar with the Casino Arcade, but did you know that private and public events have taken place in the beautiful venue spaces upstairs since its grand opening in 1907?

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk stands as an icon of seaside entertainment; history and nostalgia intertwined to create stories that endure the test of time. Recently, Ted Whiting and myself had the extraordinary privilege of sitting down with Beverly Graham Forson, to dive into the captivating tale of her awe-inspiring performance during the famous Plunge Water Carnivals at the Boardwalk back in the 1940s when she was just a child.

For this month’s blog, with a nod to American Archives month, we would specifically like to highlight the various history resources we provide on-site and online. Take a look and you may just learn something new!

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to live or work in another country? For more than two decades, the Boardwalk’s Work & Travel program has offered the unique experience for college students around the world to live and work in Santa Cruz during the Boardwalk’s busy season. Students hoping to spend their summer in sunny Santa Cruz apply and interview for jobs at the Boardwalk, spanning across all guest-facing roles, from Rides, to Foodservice, to Guest Services. These students augment our robust local hiring efforts and provide a unique cultural experience for our employees.

As one of the most historic and well-known attractions in California, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk represents the easygoing nature and beach town spirit of Santa Cruz like no other. For many West Coasters the bright red and white wooden tracks of the Giant Dipper are instantly recognizable, bringing back fond memories with friends and family. As a result of its recognizability, symbolism, and charm, the Boardwalk has starred in over 24 movies, from box office hits to campy cult classics. Here we remember the most well-known movies filmed at the Boardwalk.