Nearby Roanoke College also had use of the park when it was closed in the winter as an area for its men's lacrosse team to use for practice.
In 1967, the pool was filled in as part of an expansion project, the highlight of which was a new wooden roller coaster named the Shooting Star, which replaced the Wildcat.
Lakeside remained a popular destination through the 1970s and early 1980s, though larger parks such as Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens were beginning to draw away visitors.
The park also occupied a very valuable parcel of real estate at the intersection of two highways only a mile south of Interstate 81.
This event, which has free admission, runs annually for ten days in late June to early July.