New Six Flags loop roller coaster now has a name, festival

GURNEE — A record-breaking roller coaster set to open this spring north of Chicago now has a name: Mardi Gras Hangover.

Six Flags Great America in Gurnee announced the name Tuesday. The park also said the loop coaster will open in the park’s Mardi Gras-themed area and that Six Flags also will be introducing a new Mardi Gras Festival in late summer. It will include nightly shows, floats, beads and fireworks.

The 100-foot-tall coaster will take riders forward and backward on a giant 360 degree loop with multiple inversions. The coaster also boasts “face-off” seating, which means riders are seated back-to-back and face-to-face.

Park President Hank Salemi says riders “will experience multiple moments of hang-time.” He says along with the festival, the name is “the perfect fit.”