Tag Archives: wet n wild

Local rock station KLAQ (95.5 FM) is bringing its iconic Barbeque back to the local entertainment scene with a three day party at Wet N’ Wild Waterworld, located alongside I-10 at Anthony Exit “0”.

The event will feature three days of BBQ competitions, sampling plates, live music, Sand Volleyball tournament, a Summer Swimsuit Fashion Show, a BBQ Beach Party and more. 

 Via a news release, organizers said, “Bring your appetite for a fun filled weekend as The Q rewards fans of Barbeque with three days of BBQ competitions, sampling plates BBQ Restaurants, food trucks and more.“

The KLAQ BBQ started in 1986 at Magic Landing Amusement Park, just outside of city’s eastern limits on I-10, featuring amusement park rides, music and local BBQ food from area restaurants.

In 1989, the event moved to the original Western Playland in Ascarate Park where it grew into an annual El Paso family event.

When Western Playland moved to its current location in Sunland Park, New Mexico, The KLAQ BBQ followed. The event ran for several years before the station hit the “pause” button two years ago – mostly relating to weather issues during the El Paso’s monsoon season.

However, this Memorial Weekend the smell of BBQ will fill the air throughout the largest water park in the Southwest – Wet N’ Wild, a thirty seven acre Oasis in the Desert features dozens of water rides, water slides, a wave pool, rivers, coves, kiddie slides, and so much more.  

Saturday, May 26th features the Backyard Chef Competition where a series of backyard chefs compete for prizes and trophies. Sunday, May 27th features BBQ Restaurants and BBQ Food Trucks compete for cash, prizes, radio recognition, and trophies. While Monday, Memorial Day, May 28th it’s our Pro Chef Championships, where Pro Grillers compete for cash, trophies, and more. 

 A limited number of sampling plates will be sold each day for $10.00 with part of the proceeds going to the El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank. In addition, there will be a S’mores Station,  with all proceeds going to the Food Bank. 

 Shiner Bock is sponsoring our concert stage featuring a variety of the areas favorite bands, groups, musicians – plus the Summer Swimsuit Fashion Show. Oasis Hot Tubs will be onsite showcasing their hot tubs, grills, and backyard furniture – and at the end of the weekend, one lucky person will win a ($2,500 Backyard Grill and Patio set?) from Oasis Hot Tubs. 

Prices to enter Wet-N-Wild are as follows:

48 inches and up: 24.99 plus tax.

Under 48 inches: 21.99 plus tax.

Toddlers 1-3 years old: 4.99 plus tax.

Season Passes: 49.99 plus tax. Season Passes valid for all open days, including holidays, plus Neon Paint Party.

Other fees at the park are as follows:

Grill Rentals: 14.99 plus tax.

Tube rental 6.00 (rafts and tubes for all rides provided).

Locker rental: 6 plus 4 dollar refundable deposit.

Regular parking 2.00.

Tickets and passes also available at Circle K stores in El Paso, and Pic Quik stores in Las Cruces.

Wet ‘N’ Wild also offers group rates, reserved areas, birthday parties, private cabanas, VIP Suites, and VIP parking. Go Online  or call (915) 886-2222 for more info.

Visitor can bring their own food and beverages, or eat at the Ribbit Café, however no charcoal grills, glass containers or pets (other than service animals) are permitted. 

Wet ‘N’ Wild Waterworld is getting a head start on the summer season with family fun, music and of course water rides on Sunday

On May 20, American singer-songwriter and reality TV star Chiquis Rivera will perform live on the waterpark’s stage. This festival of Latin music and entertainment will also include the bands Artefacto Norteño, Cabalgata, Team Havana and Sonora Skandalo.

 “We are so happy to have Chiquis Rivera performing here,” says General Manager Chandra Edwards-Cottingham. “She is a fresh addition to our summer line-up, and our customers are very excited.” 

Also adding to the fun will be the Tempo dancers, VIP Dance Krew and local clown troupe Payasito Cachetin will help make this a full day of entertainment. 

 The Festival begins at noon and regular entrance tickets are valid for the event. Season Pass Holders enter free.   The park will be open from 10am to 7pm.  Visitors are reminded that they are allowed to bring their own food and beverages, or eat at the Ribbit Café, however no charcoal grills, glass containers or pets (other than service animals) are permitted. 

For ticket information and prices, visit the Wet-N-Wild Website or call (915) 886-2222.  Tickets and passes also available at Circle K stores in El Paso, and Pic Quik stores in Las Cruces.

Wet N Wild Waterworld has completed construction, testing, and inspection of Jaguar Falls, the largest attraction in the family-owned waterpark’s 38-year history, and it is now ready to ride.

“This project represents a huge investment in our guests and our community! We have been working non-stop on this ride since the winter, and we are thrilled to finally open it to our guests,” says Chandra Edwards Cottingham, one of the family owners of the water park.

Edwards Cottingham adds, “The suspense has been building since we announced the new ride, and we have revealed facts and details of Jaguar Falls to our customers week by week through our very popular Facebook contests. They are all now Jaguar Falls experts, and we can’t wait for them to try it out!”

The Jaguar Falls complex has a footprint of over 42,750 square feet and includes a six-story tower with room to add more rides in the future.

After climbing the ninety-five steps to the tower, guests will enter the raft with family and friends and experience thousands of gallons of water per minute twisting and turning them down the slide at speeds up to 25 feet per second!

The ride ends with an exhilarating splashdown into a refreshing catch pool.

The family-friendly Jaguar Falls, located between the Amazon and Alien Vortex, crosses over the park’s main entry drive, providing an eye-catching yellow, black and green promise of fun.

According to park officials, “Two to four people (500 lbs max, 300 lbs max per person) can ride together in a raft at the same time! And there won’t be any worries about dragging those rafts all the way to the top of the ride tower –a speedy raft conveyor will whisk the rafts from the pool to the entry tub in record time.”

Adding to the adventure, and keeping with the jungle theme, after splashing down into the catch pool, park guests will make their way back to the Jaguar Falls complex via a 58.8-foot rope suspension bridge swaying high above the ground.

Construction on the project involved thousands of work hours from architects, contractors, and other skilled workers and includes hundreds of tons of concrete, steel and fiberglass, as well as multiple slide components shipped from different parts of the world.

This new addition has allowed the park to provide temporary work for dozens of people and several new seasonal job openings on top of the 300 positions it fills every summer from April to September.

For information on tickets & rides, click HERE.   To enter our contest, click the banner below

On Thursday, June 22nd, Wet-N-Wild Waterworld will participate in the ‘World’s Largest Swimming Lesson’ (WLSL)  providing a free swimming lesson to hundreds of borderland kids and grownups.

Tens of thousands of kids and adults at aquatic facilities around the world will unite for the eighth year in a row to make noise that Swimming Lessons Save Lives.

Wet N Wild Waterworld is expecting approximately 200 partcipants. The lesson will begin at 9am and last for half an hour.

Since its inception, more than 195,000 children and adults have participated in WLSL lessons generating more than half a billion media impressions about the vital importance of learning to swim. The 2016 WLSL event included 40,298 participants from 24 countries.

Tragically, drowning remains the leading cause of unintended, injury related death for children ages 1-4, and the second leading cause of accidental death for children under 14.

Research shows participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88% among children aged 1 to 4, yet many kids do not receive formal swimming or water safety training.

A global event, WLSL will take place over the course of 24 hours at an estimated 500 locations in more than 20 countries.

Wet N Wild Waterworld will open for its 39th season this Saturday and Sunday, May 6 and 7, from 10am to 6pm.

The family-owned park is ready to make this summer special for Borderland residents and visitors with outdoor grilling, chilling in the shade of hundreds of trees, and over 25 water rides and attractions.

“We can’t wait for the park to open this year!” says Chandra Edwards-Cottingham, one of the family owners of the park. “Record heat is expected for this summer, and we love being a place people can come and stay all day enjoying the cool shade, refreshing water, and our brand new ride.”

Edwards-Cottingham adds, “From thrilling classics like the Screamer, to the 2015 Atlantis Adventures addition with spray fountains, water play structures and lava slides, to the brand new Family Raft Ride Jaguar Falls opening in late May, our 60-acre park has something awesome for everybody.”

Season passes for ages 4 and up are currently on sale for $39.99 plus tax, and will go up to $49.99 plus tax once the new Jaguar Falls opens to the public.

Due to the huge popularity of the park’s private, shaded Cabanas introduced last year, 21 new Cabanas are also being added for the 2017 season. Different sizes hold from 6 to 40 people, including tables, chairs, loungers, and wait service from the Ribbit Café.

The park also boast three luxurious, air conditioned VIP suites, which include private bathrooms, refrigerators, microwaves, tables, chairs, grills, beverages, and private, outdoor patios overlooking the water and kids’ play areas.

For more information, visit Wet N Wild Waterworld’s website.

In just four or five weeks, Wet N Wild Waterworld will complete construction of Jaguar Falls, the largest ride in the family-owned waterpark’s 38-year history.

The new ride is a six-story high Family Raft Ride with a footprint of over 42,750 square feet. Family and friends will be able to ride together in a raft, twisting and turning their way down this adventure waterslide at maximum speeds of 25 feet per second before a final exhilarating splashdown into a refreshing pool far below the start tower.

Jaguar Falls, located in Wet ‘N’ Wild’s Jungle Park next to The Amazon, will cross over the park’s main entry drive, providing an eye-catching yellow, black and green promise of fun to come. In keeping with the jungle theme, park guests will make their way back across from the ride’s catchpool via a rope suspension bridge high above the ground.

Up to four people at a time will be able to raft on the family-friendly attraction at one time, highly visible to everyone travelling the I-10 corridor from New Mexico into Texas. And there won’t be any worries about dragging those rafts all the way to the top of the ride tower –a speedy raft conveyor will whisk the rafts from the pool to the entry tub in record time.

“We are so excited to bring this ride to our park guests. They have been asking for something thrilling that they can ride with family and friends and we think this will make their summer dreams come true,” says Chandra Edwards-Cottingham, one of the park’s family owners. “Along with our exclusive VIP Party Suites and the 21 brand-new cabanas being added this year, these amenities and this exciting new attraction are bringing Borderland summer fun up to the next level.”

Construction on the project, which involves hundreds of tons of concrete, steel and fiberglass, and features multiple components shipped from different parts of the world, is in full swing, and it is expected to be completed sometime in May. This new addition will allow the park to add several new seasonal job openings on top of the 300 positions it fills every summer from April to September.

Season Passes to the park are now on sale for only $39.99 plus tax, and will go up to $49.99 plus tax when the new addition opens later in the summer. Call (915) 886-2222 or visit the park’s website for information on attractions, birthday parties, VIP Suites, reserved parking, and cabana rentals.

Wet N Wild Waterworld opens for Summer 2017 on May 6.

In 2012 Wet ‘n’ Wild Waterworld expanded to 60 acres, in 2015 Wet ‘n’ Wild added the Atlantis Adventures multi-attraction kids’ complex, and in 2017 Wet ‘n’ Wild will be building the largest attraction in its 38-year history.

With a footprint of over 42,750 square feet, the new ride will be highly visible to everyone travelling the I-10 corridor from New Mexico into Texas and promises to be an exciting new addition to family-friendly fun in the Borderland.

“Wet ‘n’ Wild is all about family fun, so we decided to have fun with the many questions people will have about the new ride by having weekly contests on our Facebook page,” said Chandra Edwards-Cottingham, one of the family owners of Wet ‘n’ Wild Waterworld.

Every Friday the waterpark will have a new question about the ride, with the answer – and the winner of the contest – revealed the following Monday. “I can tell you, the Borderland will be really excited when they find out what it is. It will be the wettest and wildest fun you can have with your family all summer long!” Edwards-Cottingham added.

As part of the overall project, the main entrance to the park will be completely transformed.

Construction began in January and will be in full swing by April, when multiple components of the expansion shipped from different parts of the world will arrive. Hundreds of tons of concrete and steel will be poured, cut and welded by the time the ride is completed.

Companies from Texas, California, Canada, and over twenty local businesses are all involved in the project with local architects and contractors performing most of the construction and installation.

The addition will add several new seasonal job openings on top of the 300 positions the park fills every April through September. With interactive social media contests, videos, and public updates, the waterpark will release more information (including the ride’s opening date at the beginning of the Wet ‘n’ Wild summer season) throughout the spring.

The Borderland’s first and only water park was honored at a national gathering of aquatics professionals.

Aquatics International, a magazine and website for the commercial swimming pool and waterpark industry, named Wet ‘N’ Wild Waterworld the recipient of the  2015 Community Outreach Award.

Officials with Wet ‘N’ Wild Waterworld say they were “thrilled” to accept the award at the Aquatics International Annual Breakfast, in San Diego, California.

The park received the award for its efforts in reaching out to the Borderland community, with programs like The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson (a free annual event promoting swimming and water safety), Feed them For a Week (a program that stocks the pantries of families during the Christmas season), the Lifeguard Olympics (where area lifeguards compete) and the annual Summer Car Show and Beach Party put on by the Anthony Police Department to fund its Food Pantry.

“We are really grateful for this award,” says Chandra Edwards-Cottingham, General Manager of Wet ‘N’ Wild, “and grateful for all the opportunities we have to give back to the community.”

Edwards-Cottingham believes that community partnerships are vital to a healthy business.

“We highly value our relationships with the groups who make the good works possible, including The Drowning Prevention Coalition of El Paso and Christian Castle Lifeguard Olympics, The City of El Paso Parks and Recreation, The Anthony Texas Police Department, The Anthony ISD Summer Food Program, and Prices Creameries (which sponsors life jackets used in the park), to name a few,” she added

Edwards-Cottingham hopes to continue expanding community outreach programs each year, and encourages anyone with an idea for a program or event to contact her. “When someone from the community approaches us, we can usually find a way to work with them. We give away thousands of tickets a year and are serious about using the waterpark as a platform to add value to the amazing people in our Borderland community.”