Shakopee and Valleyfair are some of the most common landscapes in Minnesota that people enjoy from time to time. Shakopee is named after a Dakota chief and provides many entertainment opportunities for its visitors. Shakopee also hosts the Canterbury park racetrack that allows visitors to enjoy horse racing, casino, and concerts. Valleyfair is popularly known for its thrill rides, roller coasters, and a waterpark. The amusement park was established with the objective to provide entertaining activities for visitors to enjoy. Valleyfair promotes a childhood theme since many of the activities in the park are designed for children. Children also do not pay to enter the park, but adults have to purchase tickets. The various entertainment activities promote a theme of happiness and togetherness since people have fun together, which is not the case in other landscapes. The essay starts with an objective description of the two landscapes that provides some background information about the region. This is then followed by a subjective interpretation that highlights some of the themes that the two landscapes enhance within the region.
Objective Description
Shakopee is one of the landscapes in Minnesota which is popularly known for Valleyfair and Canterbury park racetrack. The racetrack provides horse racing, casino action, and concerts together with other entertainment activities. Shakopee is located in the southwest corner of the area and has a river, businesses, and recreational opportunities. By 2020 Shakopee had a population of about 41,000 people which has increased significantly with time (Data USA, 1). The primary language spoken in Shakopee is English since many of the people who reside in the country are American citizens. However, the region hosts people from different racial groups even though they speak a common language.
Shakopee was named after a Dakota chief who was a popular leader in the area when it was founded. Shakopee came to exist after Thomas Holmes established a trading post in the region. Shakopee means six among the Dakota and was a name passed from one leader to the other. The landscape was named after Chief Shakopee II, who was considered to be one of the most effective orators among the Dakota people. Shakopee has developed to become an innovative and thriving community that provides entertainment while also enhancing people’s quality of life. The area has a diverse population, top schools, medical facilities, and recreational opportunities that foster a sense of community.
Another popular landscape in Minnesota is Valleyfair which is located in Shakopee along highway 101. Valleyfair has colorful signs and is big, which makes it noticeable to any person in the region. The park has been in existence for over 45 years, offering twenty rides and attraction activities. The park’s construction started in 1974 with an initial investment of about $7.5 million from two local businessmen (Valleyfair, 1). The two men had a dream to construct an amusement park that would offer entertainment activities to various family members. Cedar Point acquired Valleyfair in 1978 under the management of Cedar Fair Limited Partnership (Valleyfair, 1). The acquisition helped to promote the park’s expansion making it one of the biggest in the world. Valleyfair has invested over $96 million since 1976 by purchasing new rides and constructing new attraction activities (Valleyfair, 1). Valleyfair currently has 8 roller coasters, a Planet Scoopy, a waterpark, and 75 rides. This has enabled it to become the largest amusement park in the Midwest.
Valleyfair has thrilling rides that are designed to offer absolute fun to individuals who visit the amusement park. The thrill rides come in different shapes and sizes to allow both adults and children to enjoy themselves. Valleyfair installed a thrill ride popularly known as Delirious in the form of a high-speed train. The train completes ten revolutions within a minute, following a route that is nostalgia-themed. Parents can also have fun when they accompany their children to the amusement park. Valleyfair has the Soak City Waterpark, where visitors can cool themselves off while having fun. The waterpark offers 24 rental cabanas, a changing facility, and a food stand. The amusement park also has shade structures, enhanced lighting, seating, and gathering areas. The park also has the North Star, which is a 230-foot-tall tower that provides enjoyment by spinning riders. Planet Scoopy provides themed rides and attraction sites while also allowing visitors to meet and greet various Peanuts characters.
Interpretation
One of the themes that are related to the landscape in Minnesota is consumption and the creation of self. Shakopee and Valleyfair promote consumption by providing entertainment activities that help to attract people from the region. Consumption is likely to increase based on the entertainment opportunities offered within the region. The landscape also provides an opportunity for an individual to create themself by allowing them to explore their interests and fears. An individual is likely to consider themselves as fearful if they are not courageous enough to enjoy the thrill rides.
Another theme related to the Shakopee and Valleyfair is childhood. The landscape is related to childhood since it provides many entertainment activities for children to have fun. In this case, the amusement park is likely to serve a higher number of children compared to adults. I relate to this theme since I had the opportunity to visit Valleyfair several times during my childhood. Valleyfair promotes the theme of childhood by allowing children below five years to enter the amusement park for free. Parents accompanying their children have to pay for a ticket to get into the park. This indicates that the amusement park was designed with attention to children and not adults.
The landscape also promotes a theme of a happy place through the various entertainment activities offered in the amusement park. The main objective behind the development of the park was to provide a place for people to have fun and enjoy. Visitors to the park gain happiness from thrill rides, the Soak City Waterpark, the North Star, and a Planet Scoopy. Any person seeking to spend quality time with family members can visit the park and explore their interests.
The last theme that relates to the landscape is the feelings that people get when they drive by. One of the feelings that people get when driving in the amusement park is one of sensation seeking. This causes people to focus on enjoying various physical experiences that align with their interests in life. Visitors to the amusement park also get a sense of fulfillment since they have the chance to enjoy themed parks. The amusement park also promotes a feeling of togetherness since families have the opportunity to have fun together. Valleyfair brings people from different cultures together, ignoring the differences that exist between them.
Works Cited
Data USA. “Shakopee.”Datausa.io, 2020.
Valleyfair. “Amusement Park History & Timeline.” Valleyfair.com, 2022. Web.