Happenings

Voting Available March 13 – May 26! It’s time to elect the next Mayor of the Carousel! Mayor Giraffe’s term is ending in May.  He stuck his neck out for all the creatures great and small during his term.  While the rest of the country may be contemplating the results of the federal elections, here in Nederland we are gearing up for the FUNNEST election you’ll ever be a part of.  Instead of voting for the lesser of two evils, […]

We will be getting some limited edition 15th Anniversary T-shirts!  By special request, these tees will have our logo on the front left chest, and a full-color print of a carousel animal on the back and read “Celebrating 15 Years of Smiles!” If you want one of these shirts, we highly encourage pre-ordering!  We will only print these tees once, so if you want a specific animal be sure to let us know. Use the form below to tell us

NOW AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE! This brand new book explores the depth of wonder and artistry behind this magical place.  For years, carver and founder of the Carousel, Scott Harrison, made notes and ponderings about his creations.  And now, we are ready to share them with you… You can purchase the book in our gift shop, in-person or online, for $69.95 plus tax + shipping. From the back cover: “This is the quintessential story of the Carousel of Happiness, how it

The Wolf & Owl are our newest additions to the magical menagerie, seated comfortably on the memorial bench. Scott carved the pair in memory of his sister Chauncey, who loved “the idea that two very different animals can find companionship, kindness and even love together.”  To have Wolf as your spirit animal means you must have a deep connection with your instincts and your appreciation of the wild. As a wolf, you are loyal and smart and carry the instinct for freedom. Black wolves like this one are less aggressive

The Carousel of Happiness opened on Memorial Day in 2010, in dedication two U.S. Marines who lost their lives in Vitenam while serving with the Carousel’s Founder, Scott Harrison. Each year, we honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. Military with a ceremony at Noon on Memorial Day Monday. The building is open to all as we encircle the carousel, and visitors are invited to remember a fallen veteran.  Then, the carousel will turn for

He sits atop the old tool chest, near the carousel motor.  Ask the operator to help if you’d like to take a photo with him!  Scott’s smallest carving, Ms. Ladybug, is now on display in her toasty warm home above our radiant heat display, perched on a leaf. As Scott was finishing up tortoise, he remembered his good friend, George Blevins (our local cartoonist), wrote a story called “Mr. Turtle meets Ms. Ladybug.” And Scott decided he needed to carve a

The sluggish sloth moves slowly inch by inch, yet it reaches our hearts. Found in the tropicalforests of Central and South America, sloths are tree dwellers. They can teach us to slow downand appreciate life if we have the patience to listen to their silence.  This beautiful creation arrived at the Carousel of Happiness in November 2023.  Some of the ornamental carved animals are available to permanently adopt.  Check out current adoption opportunites. A Bradypus, or Sloth, am II live