Oregon’s favorite fairy-tale-themed amusement park – to be fair, one of only two true amusement parks statewide – has been nominated for Newsweek’s readers’ choice “Best Family-Owned Amusement Park” in the country.
Readers can vote for one of 15 family-owned theme parks across the nation, including the Salem-area wonderland of imagination, Enchanted Forest.
Roger Tofte bought the land and started building Enchanted Forest in the mid-1960s and the park has been run by the Tofte family since it opened in 1971.
“When we started, I planned to build just a few things in the woods, and I figured it would take about two years,” Tofte told The Oregonian a few months after the park opened in the fall of 1971. “Instead, we have spent almost eight years at it because we keep coming up with new ideas.”
Since it opened, the park has enchanted guests with its mix of storybook tales and experiences like bumper cars and a log ride.
Enchanted Forest struggled to stay open during the pandemic. In 2020, Roger Tofte’s 13-year-old great-grandson Wyatt Tofte, died in the Beachie Creek fire. Early the next year, the park was hit with damage from ice.
Still, Enchanted Forest persisted. The park is scheduled to open for the 2024 season on March 22.
Want to vote for the home of Humpty Dumpty? Visit newsweek.com/readerschoice/best-family-owned-amusement-park to make your voice heard.
– Lizzy Acker covers life and culture and writes the advice column Why Tho? Reach her at 503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com or @lizzzyacker
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