Kids Castle Is Back: Harrisonburg’s Beloved Playground Reopens at Purcell Park
After more than a year of construction, the newly rebuilt Kids Castle at Purcell Park is open — with zip lines, a 37-foot slide, a tricycle track, and a design built for kids of every ability.
A Valley favorite, reborn
Harrisonburg families packed Purcell Park on Tuesday as the city cut the ribbon on the completely rebuilt Kids Castle playground — the end of a construction project that kept one of the Valley’s most beloved play spaces closed for more than a year.
The original Kids Castle was built in 1990 and had been a rite of passage for generations of Harrisonburg kids. The rebuild, which began in May 2025 and cost more than $3 million, was shaped by over 1,000 pieces of community input, according to the city.
What’s new at the castle
This isn’t a touch-up — it’s a ground-up reimagining of the playground. The new Kids Castle includes:
- A castle structure to climb and explore
- Zip lines
- A 37-foot slide that was an instant favorite with opening-day crowds
- Swings and musical instruments
- A tricycle track
- Wooden boardwalks winding through the play area
- Dedicated spaces designed for the tiniest visitors
The playground was designed with accessibility at its core. Harrisonburg Parks and Recreation Director Brian Mancini says it’s roughly 80% accessible for children with every type of disability — a product of being able to borrow the best ideas from playgrounds across Virginia.
A multigenerational moment
For many parents at the grand opening, the day came with a dose of nostalgia. Alan Qambari told WHSV he spent his entire childhood at Kids Castle and came back with his daughter so she could start making her own memories there.
City leaders hope the upgrades cement Kids Castle as more than a neighborhood park — it has always drawn families from across the Shenandoah Valley, and the rebuild is designed to make it a genuine destination playground.
Plan your visit
Kids Castle sits inside Purcell Park, a 67-acre park at 41 Monument Avenue in Harrisonburg, with a second entrance off South Main Street. The park also offers walking trails, picnic shelters, sports fields, and open green space — easy to turn a playground stop into a full afternoon.
Pair it with a stroll through downtown Harrisonburg, just a few minutes away, for lunch or ice cream after the kids have worn themselves out ruling the kingdom.
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