hop on!

Houston's newest amusement park thunders into water park with 11 raucous rides

Big Rivers Fairgrounds Rolling Thunder ride amusement

Hop on rides like Rolling Thunder.

Photo courtesy of Big Rivers Waterpark & Adventures

Attention kids, big kids, and anyone who loves a fun ride: Houston has a new amusement park. Big Rivers Waterpark & Adventures, the splashy destination, has announced “Big Rivers Fairgrounds,” its new theme park hot spot.

These new fairgrounds will boast 11 amusement park rides — from kiddie rides to thrill rides — slated to be installed over the next several weeks.

Most rides are expected to be ready for the anticipated “Christmas at Big Rivers” event, which runs November 26 through the end of Christmas, the park notes.

Some highlights of The Fairgrounds, according to press materials, include:

Rolling Thunder – a spinning rollercoaster
SPINdletop – a pendulum that swings riders a full 360 degrees
Lafitte’s Fury – a rocking pirate ship
Screaming Eagles – a family attraction where the rider controls the flight path
Seven more rides, from kiddie to thrill rides

Notably, The Fairgrounds will not replace Grand Texas, the planned, large-scale amusement park which will sit on some 140 acres. “The rides at the Fairgrounds will be a lot of fun for all ages, but the themed attractions of Grand Texas are still forthcoming,” said Monty Galland, founder of Big Rivers Waterpark & Adventures, in a statement.

Those interested in admission can score access with the purchase of the 2022 Big Rivers Waterpark Season Pass, available online.

As CultureMap previously reported, Big Rivers (23101 TX 242 in New Caney) includes an extensive waterpark with slides, lazy river and wave pool; as well as an adventure park that includes ziplines, a four-story challenge course, tallest outdoor climbing wall in Texas, Wild Isle, an obstacle course on a spring-fed lake, petting zoo, alligator habitat, giant maze, ax throwing, archery, and more.

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welcome back, frank!

Broadcaster Frank Billingsley finds second act at Houston radio station

Al Torres Photography

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When he announced his retirement from KPRC, Frank Billingsley told the late Ken Hoffman that he probably wasn’t done with media.

“I love all forms of communication so I'm sure I'll gravitate toward that either as a hobby or a second act. I'll weigh options and go from there,” he said in May.

Turn out that second act will be at one of Houston’s most prestigious radio stations. Billingsley has joined Houston Public Media as an executive producer and meteorologist.

"Frank Billingsley’s reputation as a Houston legend precedes him,” station manager Josh Adams said in a statement. “His experience and connection to our community align perfectly with Houston Public Media’s mission to inform and inspire. We are thrilled to welcome him to the team and look forward to the impact his presence will have."

Beginning in early 2025, Billingsley will serve as one of the hosts for a new talk show called Hello, Houston!. Led by Billingsley, veteran HPM host Ernie Manouse, and producer Celeste Schurman. Hello, Houston! will tell stories about a wide range of Houston happenings.

“Of course, I'll still get to talk about the weather, but Celeste, Ernie, and I will have fun and fascinating discussions about politics, arts, concerts, restaurants, clubs, people: everything that makes this city so great,” Billingsley said. “We have a great team behind us and I'm really looking forward to the challenge!”

Frank Billingsley worked at KPRC for 30 years. Prior to that, he worked at ABC13 for six years. He has earned multiple honors from the Associated Press, Houston Press Club, Houston Press Newspaper, and Dallas Press Club.

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