Iconic Holiday World artist to retire after 52 years on the job

SANTA CLAUS, Ind. (WISH) — “The Legend”-ary artist and sign maker who’s been a key figure on Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari’s “Voyage” for over 50 years is now retiring.

Rick Emmons is Holiday World’s sign shop manager and the artist behind many of the iconic Holiday World murals and logos.

He began working there when the park was still Santa Claus Land in 1972. Park leaders say Emmons has worked exactly two-thirds of the 78 years the park has been open.

He’s credited with creating art that has beautified the southern Indiana theme park over the last five decades. Leaders say his work will continue to brighten the days of future generations at the park.

“We can never thank Rick enough for sharing his talent with us for more than half a century,” Leah Koch-Blumhardt, owner of Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, said in a press release.

“He has quite literally shaped our parks through his murals and signs, and we’re so much better for it. He’s been here through three of our four generations of Koch ownership, and I speak for my entire family when I say that I’m so grateful we’ve had the joy of working with him. He is a wonderful painter, but an even more wonderful person.”

Throughout his career, she says Emmons has created thousands of signs, logos, and renderings by hand, and revolutionized the sign shop’s operations with digitized art development. 

Park leaders say despite embracing modern techniques, Emmons’ talent for large-format, hand-painted murals remains unparalleled.

“We wish Rick all the best in retirement,” Koch-Blumhardt said. “It’s truly the end of an era.”

Emmons plans to retire at the end of June.

Emmons will join Daybreak on Thursday for a special interview on his Holiday World legacy.