It's been nearly seven years since the Downtown at The Gardens wooden carousel opened. I asked my fellow WPTV personalities, Ashleigh Walters and Glenn Glazer, to join me as we checked out the history of the Merry-Go-Round custom crafted by Carousel Works in Mansfield, Ohio.
Tuesday, July 25, is National Merry-Go-Round Day. And to celebrate Downtown at The Gardens is offering FREE carousel rides all day to WPTV viewers.
More than 35 people took part in creating the one-of-a-kind carousel designed to fit in with Florida's fun, tropical atmosphere.
There are 27 creatures on the carousel known as the "menagerie." Each piece started as 60 blocks of wood glued together. The more legs, feathers, and details the longer it took to create. Most pieces took three days to three weeks to carve.
Painting each of the carved figures on the carousel was a challenge. The artist used photos of Florida wildlife to get the colors as lifelike as possible. They also used paint that would not be affected by Florida's heat and humidity.
This particular merry-go-round is wheelchair accessible.
