One of Associated Food Stores’ time-honored and beloved traditions is the annual Lagoon Day experience. Thousands of AFS team members and family join in a day of fun, food and friendship. AFS leadership understands the importance of the celebration and looks forward to the annual festivities with great anticipation.
Over the years, the charge for admission has increased considerably. In 2021, the cost to the company was over $195,000 which covers park entrance, all-day ride passes and food for team members, spouses or significant others, children and grandchildren. In subsequent years, Lagoon has increased charges to AFS by 30 percent, making the potential cost to the company significantly greater than previous years.
With a deep desire to continue this important tradition, AFS is making a change to help preserve this opportunity for as many team members and families as possible. Beginning in 2024, there will be a $15 charge for participating grandchildren. Spouses, significant others and qualifying dependent children will remain free of charge for 2024. Additional tickets will also be available for purchase at a special discount rate for those guests who do not fall under the noted relationships.
Team members will see this change reflected on ticket forms when they become available later in the summer. Team members should only request tickets for qualifying members of their families. Should team members deliberately falsify their information to gain free tickets outside of the guidelines, or seek to sell their tickets for personal gain, it will be viewed as a violation of our core values and will result in disciplinary action. Should you order tickets and are unable to attend, please do not sell them or give them to someone else. If team members have questions about the change, they are encouraged to speak with their immediate supervisor who can follow up with the executive team.
“We recognize Lagoon Day is a meaningful benefit to many team members,” said Tim Conner, senior vice president of team services. “It’s part of who we are as a company, and we are doing all we can to continue this and other legacy events that are valuable parts of our team culture. We thank the team in advance for their understanding and flexibility as we plan for a wonderful event in 2024.”