Midway State Park is celebrating its 125th anniversary with special discounts and events throughout the day on July 12. P-J photo by Eric Tichy

MAPLE SPRINGS — Midway State Park is celebrating its 125th anniversary this month — a milestone that not many other state parks have reached.

Located at 4859 Route 430 in Bemus Point, Midway State Park’s anniversary celebration will be held on Wednesday, July 12. The park will open at 11 a.m. and all rides and attractions will be open until 10 p.m. with fireworks set for 10:10 p.m.

A DJ is planned to play music from noon to 8 p.m. with other events taking place throughout the day.

Wristbands that allow entrance into the park will be randomly selected for prizes and discounts throughout the day. Discounts and specials will be available at the gift shop, including a special 125th anniversary T-shirt. At the mini golf shed there will be glow bracelets and other glow products available for the nighttime events.

“Midway is pretty special to reach this 125-year historic occasion,” said Marla Connelly, state parks manager in Chautauqua County. “Very few parks can say that, and it’s part of the local area, so come celebrate.”

Located near Chautauqua Lake, Midway was established in 1898 as a picnic ground. According to the New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, it is “one of the oldest continually operating amusement parks in the nation.”

Trolley parks were built by streetcar companies to increase business by giving riders a weekend destination at the “end of the line,” usually located at a park or lake. The park’s early history is the focus of a half-hour documentary, “Trolley Park: Midway Memories,” by filmmaker Peter Daulton.

Connelly said the fact that Midway is still here today is “pretty awesome.”

The park recently celebrated the installation of a new ferris wheel. Another project the park is continuing to work on is installing a Twister ride, which officials hope to have completed next year.

Connelly invits the community to come celebrate the 125th anniversary with the park. “I expect more wonderful memories to be made at Midway,” she said.

She also encouraged everyone to keep an eye on the Midway State Park Facebook page for other postings and events in the future.