1911 LOOFF CAROUSEL at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. A National Historic Landmark.

This is a special interactive carousel that is a blast to ride, as long as your on the outside lane of horses. There's a big clown with a metal mouth that you try to throw rings through. It's not easy to do at all. The carousel is surrounded by super rare Wurlitzer, Ruth & Sohn organs. One, there are less than 12 in the world.
From their site:
Music
Three antique band organs are a special highlight of the Looff Carousel. The Boardwalk’s original Ruth & Sohn band organ has played alongside the carousel since 1911. The fully-restored antique received a beautiful new facade in 2009. In addition to the original Ruth organ, a rare Wurlitzer 165 band organ from the former Playland-at-the Beach amusement park in San Francisco now shares playing time with the Ruth. A smaller Wurlitzer 146 was added to the collection in 2011.
1911 Looff Carousel Circles the Generations
The Boardwalk's Oldest Ride
Whether you call it a merry-go-round, carousel, or whirligig, visitors have always been enchanted with the Boardwalk's oldest ride.
In August of 1911 one of the great carousel carvers of all time delivered the merry-go-round to the Boardwalk. Danish woodcarver Charles I.D. Looff had achieved success with his first complete carousel placed at Coney Island in 1875 and went on to create several more around the country, including Santa Cruz. Charles' son Arthur Looff later built the Boardwalk's Giant Dipper.
Several of the Boardwalk’s carousel horses display their teeth in open smiles; others are more serious, with a gentle demeanor and closed mouths. Each horse is unique, with colorful details, from swords at their sides to garlands of flowers around their necks. Real horse hair tails, muscular bodies, and decorative, jeweled trappings also add to the charm. In all, the carousel is home to 73 horses (71 jumpers and two standers) and two Roman chariots decorated with the heads of rams and cherubs.
It is also one of only a handful of carousels in the world still featuring a working ring dispenser. Rings were once hand loaded by "ring boys," as the young employees were called. The process was mechanized in 1950. Steel rings are used today, with brass plated rings added on special occasions. Riders on outside horses can grab rings from a dispenser as they spin, then toss them into a large clown's gaping mouth, rewarded by bells and flashing lights.
Music for the carousel is provided by a 342-pipe Ruth und Sohn band organ built in 1894. The "Ruth" as it is affectionately called has played alongside the carousel since 1911. The rare, German-made music machine received a beautiful new facade and complete refurbishment in 2009. In 2007, a rare Wurlitzer 165 Band Organ from San Francisco’s (now closed) Playland-at-the-Beach amusement park was purchased by the Boardwalk. Both organs can be seen (and heard!) in the carousel building.
With the passing of Looff and his peers, the art of carving carousel horses has almost disappeared. Due to scarcity, they have become collectible and increasingly valuable. The Boardwalk’s entire carousel cost $18,000 in 1911; now, a pair of the Looff horses are valued at more than that.
Carousel horses seem magical, ethereal, and even immortal; the reality is that these beautiful carved figures are sturdy but all too mortal. Over the years some of the Boardwalk’s Looff horses have been lost to the ravages of time and wear. However, the Boardwalk was able to reinstate its collection in 1978 with the acquisition of additional Looff horses from parks in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Belmont Park in San Diego.
To preserve their beauty and enhance their value, the Boardwalk has restored many of the steeds and continues to do so. Ongoing maintenance includes touching up worn or chipped paint, mechanical adjustments and repairs, and frequent polishing of the ride’s many brass poles and ornate mirrors. Each charger must be stripped of paint; the next step is to repair legs, knees, surface holes, or cracks in the wood by using dowels and wood fillers. Restoration is as much a preservation of history as the refurbishment of an amusement park ride.
Visitors from around the world have enjoyed the carousel, and the hard-working antique has enjoyed its share of glory. It has been seen in a variety of feature films, commercials, and made-for-television movies. Film credits include The Lost Boys (1987), The King of Love (1987), Brotherhood of Justice (1986), and Sudden Impact (1983). In 1987 the U.S. Park Service declared the ornate merry-go-round a National Historic Landmark along with the Boardwalk's 1924 Giant Dipper roller coaster.
The admission-free Boardwalk is the site of 35 rides, including its circling star: the beloved merry-go-round.
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is located at 400 Beach Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. For general information,

[@gabecayab6379]

The only carousel I'll ride for the rest of my life! Thanks to the rings and clown added in there just to make the ride fun and unique!

[@Bayareaandbeyond777]

It's hands down the best. Thanks for watching.

[@rexoliver7780]

Some carousels no longer use their ring machines for liability reasons and expensive ring loss. The Glen Echo one only uses their ring machine on occasion-maybe that has changed-used to use that carousel over 30yrs ago-really miss it.

[@bartonpercival3216]

​@@alexanderlee5682The really big long one is a German Ruth & Son band organ, and the band organ behind the glass is a Wurlitzer 165 band organ

[@Bayareaandbeyond777]

@@alexanderlee5682 Hello

[@rexoliver7780]

Other carousels I have ridden don’t have the organs in a glass case. Would sound so much better. At Glen Echo Park in Wash DC you can stand in front of their 165 organ listen to the music! The ride operator let me climb behind the organ to hear the roof mounted crash cymbal during the Ben Hur Chariot race song! Was so magnificent.

[@Bayareaandbeyond777]

Wow, that would sound great I bet.

[@rexoliver7780]

That crash cymbal sure cleaned my ears! But I loved it! As the cymbal was struck by the organ hammer-a puff of dust came off the roof of the organ! Lots of crash cymbal sounding on the Ben Hur chariot race song!

[@rexoliver7780]

@@hellogoodbye637 that’s a good point-this is where the case can help isolate the organ from corrosive sea air.

[@rexoliver7780]

Get rid of the glass cases so we can HEAR the organs!

[@conradfok873]

Hey, Can you do your Next Video at Billy Jones wildcat Railroad this Weekend? It's in Los Gatos.

[@Bayareaandbeyond777]

I do plan on filming that train soon. I don't know about this weekend, but maybe. Is there something special going on there this weekend? Thanks for watching!

[@KristoAnimates]

The ruth organ seems to be being neglected. the 3 figures at the front dont work anymore

[@Bayareaandbeyond777]

I didn't notice that. I hope someone puts some love into it.

[@KristoAnimates]

@@Bayareaandbeyond777 on your visit it seems the 2 bell front figures were in working condition. the wurlitzer organs need new Mics. (there's microphones to amplify the sound) Because now the Snare and cymbal for both is highly inaudible.

[@rexoliver7780]

The Loof carousel is beautiful,though. Would be nice to ride it.

[@Bayareaandbeyond777]

It's definitely fun to ride. A classic

[@gabecayab6379]

This Carousel is the only good carousel out there. Suggestion is to grab as many rings as you can from the long arm and throw them into the clown’s mouth.

[@jojovaldez2766]

@@Bayareaandbeyond777 I enjoy throwing the rings at the clown s mouth when I would ride the merry go round carousel I aint sitting anywhere else when I ride it If those horses at the end on the right are taken I ll wait for the next available ride

[@Bayareaandbeyond777]

@@jojovaldez2766 Me too.

[@jojovaldez2766]

@@Bayareaandbeyond777 😎 And Sasha too could have some fun tossing em at the clown I have a Major League pitcher s throw when I toss rings at the clown s 👄 I made a few in there in my time then I also missed a lot too but some of them throws were a bit close to the target

[@melger2010]

Carousel

[@gabecayab6379]

This carousel would be so much better if there were free prizes added for people who attempted to throw the ring straight to the clown's large red mouth. I thought of this idea because currently, the carousel does not let anybody win anything at all which is why some people at the Boardwalk don't ride it. Another reason is that if free prizes were added to this ride, everybody would be interested trying the carousel. Free prizes I would like to see are Free Food with a clean, safe, and a well-operated restaurant next door to the carousel offering delicious homemade fresh food. Next, I would like a Chocolate Brass Ring that's also homemade, fresh, and tasty to eat too. And lastly, a Plushie based around video games, movies, superheroes, villains, and Anime. I thought of these prizes because it would be so much better and different from the rest of the carnival games' prizes at the Boardwalk. I think The carnival games' prizes are mostly stuffed animals, idrk since I never play carnival games by knowing myself that I'll suck at them. But back to the carousel though. In reality, this will never happen because there's no room to add anything new, it'll be expensive, and probably the Boardwalk would not be interested with this idea even though to me, this would make the carousel even more popular and recognizable to guests.

[@Bayareaandbeyond777]

I love your ideas. That would be great if you got a free prize. Great marking idea for them. Thanks for your comment and thoughts.

[@kristinb8172]

I think back in the day (like 80s and earlier), they used to give a free ride to those who got the ring in the clown's mouth. I was a kid and we used to visit Santa Cruz a lot, but since I was so young I might be remembering it wrong. A stuffed animal prize is a good idea. I wish I could go back with my kids! The best memories: standing in line with my siblings and picking out my favorite horses, then running like mad once they let us in to get to the best horse before anyone else! I'm almost 50, now that my kids are adults I will mow them down to get to my favorite horse. ;)

[@Bayareaandbeyond777]

National Carousel Day MONDAY, JULY 25, 2022 Celebrate National Carousel Day and our Looff Carousel’s 111th Anniversary. First 100 riders on the Carousel will receive a brass souvenir carousel ring. Normal ride pricing and restrictions apply. Found this on their website.

[@jojovaldez2766]

They should give some free prize for throwing the ring into the clown s mouth like a stuffed animal at least That way more people could go on this ride Or if they don t then I m off to the Giant Dipper

[@jojovaldez2766]

@@kristinb8172 Hahahaha Knock em down whoever s in the way even if you know em😅😅😅😅LOL