Jeffrey Bailey, Acting Assistant Director of Riverfront Park, No Phone Number Available
Tuesday, July 19, 2016 at 2:22 p.m.
On Saturday, July 23rd, Riverfront Park is celebrating Carrousel Day with $1 rides on our historic Looff Carrousel, $1 popcorn, and FREE face painting for the kids.
National Carousel Day is an “unofficial” national holiday. July 25th is the designated day because it coincides with the day that the first United States patent was awarded for the modern carousel, to William Schneider of Davenport Iowa on July 25, 1871. While William Schneider is commonly considered the official inventor of the modern carousel, he was actually just the first person to obtain a patent for it.
Riverfront Park's 1909 Looff Carrousel is on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of America's most beautiful and well preserved hand-carved wooden carrousels. Our Looff Carrousel proudly features 54 horses, 1 giraffe, 1 tiger, and 2 Chinese dragon chairs and a brass ring to catch!
The Carrousel was completed and installed in Natatorium Park in 1909 as a belated wedding present from Charles I.D. Looff, to his daughter, Emma, and son-in-law, Louis Vogel.
In 1964, Bill Oliver became the manager of Natatorium Park, which closed in 1967. All of the rides were sold, except for his beloved carrousel, which was put into storage until 1975. It was Bill Oliver's dream to keep the ride in action.
In the spring of 1975, the move to Riverfront Park started. The carrousel opened on May 8, 1975 in Riverfront Park, and has been operating since then.
We invite you down to Riverfront Park on July 23rd to ride and celebrate our carrousel, a National and Spokane treasure! In addition, we plan to have information about our new carrousel building on display. On July 23rd, the Carrousel will open at 9 a.m. and close at 9 p.m.
P.S. – Did you know, that the name of each horse is painted on the inside bridle?
For more information on our Carrousel, please visit these sites:
Please note: For the safety of our younger guests the minimum height requirement is 42 inches unless accompanied by an adult. Children 2 and under ride free, with a paid adult.
