Turning 97 years old is something to celebrate, and that’s what they’re going to be doing in Hartford this weekend.
The Bushnell Park Carousel is marking the milestone with a party on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The party includes face painting, carnival concessions, caricatures, clowns plus buy one get one free carousel rides. One ride costs $1.
The carousel is one of less than 200 antique wooden carousels still operating in the country. It started running in 1914 near Albany, New York. In the 1940s, it was carted to Canton, Ohio where it stood for three decades before coming to Hartford in 1974.
A Wurlitzer 153 band organ provides the music and the carousel is made up of two chariots, 12 stander horses and 36 jumpers. Money raised from the birthday party will go toward restoring the carousel's features. Organizers hope to have the restoration complete before a big centennial celebration in 2014.
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