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Take A Spin on a Classic Carousel
400 Beach StSanta Cruz, CA 95060-5416 Phone: (831) 423-5590About
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk’s Looff Carousel hits the 100-year mark with panache. For nearly a century, the Looff Carousel at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has enchanted children—and grownups. Built in August 1911 by Danish master woodcarver Charles I.D. Looff, (who also built carousels at Coney Island and the Santa Monica Pier), this ornately decorated merry-go-round features 73 intricately carved and richly painted horses with tails made of real horse hair, plus a menagerie of other animals, two antique organs, and a working ring dispenser. (Grab the brass ring, get a free ride!) Hitting the century mark means plenty of birthday celebrations during the carousel’s “100 Years of Carousel Magic” event. Look for wall mural by tromp l’oeil artist John Pugh, a Memory Wall with commemorative bronze plaques available for purchase, an art show highlighting carousel-themed art by local artists and children, and a specially-brewed “Horse Tale Ale” available on tap at nearby Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing Company .
