Santa Springs water play area opening today at Santa's Village in East Dundee

Santa Springs, an interactive water play attraction within the Santa's Village amusement park in East Dundee, opens 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 24.

Santa's Village's largest expansion in its 60-year history features zero-depth entry to a 10,000-square-foot, 8-inch deep wading pool with a two-story interactive water play structure.

The structure includes dozens of water toys, two tipping buckets and six waterslides, including a 50-foot-long, four-lane kiddie racer slide. The area includes lounge chairs for the parents to relax while the kids play in the water area. It also includes a 2,000-square-foot bathhouse for families to dry off and change before returning to the rest of the park.

“Santa's Village has been helping Chicagoland families create memories for 60 years,” park President Jason Sierpien said in a news release. “The addition of a state-of-the-art water attraction helps us take this unique family experience to the next level.”

Entry to Santa Springs is included in the general admission pass to Santa's Village. Park attractions include 24 thrill and kiddie rides, games, shops, food and more than 200 animals.

Santa's Village opened with the vision of bringing local families Christmas-themed attractions, many of which are still in place, including the Santa's Tree House Slide. The park had been closed for several years when Sierpien reopened it in 2010 with an initial focus on adding a petting zoo. Since then, he has been adding more attractions and rides.

An old water park closed under previous owners, and it was demolished about three years ago. Santa Springs sits in the same area, but is all new, using nothing from the old structure. Record rainfall in spring and early summer delayed construction, resulting in the late opening.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/SantasVillageAzoosmentPark, or www.SantasVillageDundee.com.