Mattel’s HIT Entertainment is gearing up for this summer’s grand opening of the first Thomas & Friends North American theme park at Edaville USA, a family amusement park and heritage railroad in South Carver, Massachusetts.

When the 11.5-acre Thomas Land theme park opens on August 15, it will bring the popular blue engine and the Island of Sodor to life with 11 rides. The park’s main attractions include a 20-minute scenic train ride on a life-sized Thomas the Tank Engine, a roller coaster, drop tower, Ferris wheel and a soft play area.

All rides and attractions will feature full-scale and working models of the brand’s most popular characters like Thomas, Diesel, Toby, Cranky the Crane and Harold the Helicopter, and guests can visit familiar destinations around the Island of Sodor such as Tidmouth Sheds, Knapford Station, and Brendam Docks. In addition, railway controller Sir Topham Hatt will be on hand to greet guests and take photos. Tickets are now available at Edaville.com/Thomas-Land for US$29 apiece (ages three and up).

The US theme park launch coincides with Thomas the Tank Engine’s 70^th anniversary globally, continuing a year of celebration for the brand, including new content, partnerships and products.

Other Thomas & Friends events taking place this year in the US are a Day Out with Thomas: The Celebration Tour 2015. Now in its 20^th year, the roadshow is stopping in 42 American cities throughout 2015 and is expected to attract around one million passengers.

The Thomas & Friends: Explore the Rails touring children’s museum exhibit is also making two stops this summer. Combining interactive play with STEM concepts, the exhibit will be at Creative Discovery Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee, from May 23 to September 12 and at Discovery Children’s Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada, from September 26 to January 10, 2016.