A magical menagerie featuring 56 whimsical, hand-carved animals on a restored 1910 Looff carousel, turning to the music of a 1913 Wurlitzer band organ.

Happening at the Carousel

Exclusive for the Holiday Season

The Carousel of Happiness is excited to share our 2020 Holiday Exclusive “Bundles of Joy,” curated and specially wrapped for the holidays! Access the items in our online store for local pickup or shipment to your home. If you are

Holiday Animal Adoption Special

The Carousel is pleased to offer a Holiday Animal Adoption Special through the end of 2020. For a $179 donation (paid before the end of the year), you can adopt a Carousel animal through the first quarter of 2021. You

Support the Carousel on Colorado Gives Day

Colorado Gives Day is coming up quickly, on Tuesday, Dec. 8th. Schedule your donation to the Carousel of Happiness today and help us reach our goal of $80,000 by the end of the year to keep the Carousel spinning for

How It All Began...

As a young Marine in Vietnam Scott Harrison received a tiny music box that he held to his ear to distract him from the horror of the war going on around him. The music, Chopin’s “Tristesse,” brought him a peaceful image of a carousel in a mountain meadow. After returning home, he rescued an abandoned Looff carousel in Utah and spent 26 years hand-carving animals to bring it back to life.

Scott had never carved before, but starting with the rabbit that is now on the sign in front of the carousel in Nederland, he went on to create more than 50 one-of-a-kind animals, 35 of which can be ridden. As he was finishing, the small community of Nederland (pop. 1,500) came together and raised the $700,000 to build it a home.

10th Anniversary

Help us celebrate our 10th Anniversary and keep the Carousel spinning for many generations to come!

Shop the Carousel

Our shop is full of items sure to intertwine our story with yours. Your purchase helps fund the Carousel, magic and all.

Rent the Carousel

Rent the Carousel outside of regular hours for your small group or party to create special memories for all.

"This is hands down the most magical place I've ever been. The carousel has such a rich and interesting history and the environment it's been placed in shows just how much love has gone into it."

"A carousel in the middle of a mountain town?! Fun for the kids and an interesting history for the adults. Second time we've stopped in after doing something else in the area..."

"Glad to see history saved. They took great care documenting the history of the carousel and its restoration. If you pass through Nederland, CO, you need to stop and take a ride."

"Beautifully carved animals, an antique Wurlitzer music box and a fun place for kids."