By Anna Skinner
Forest Park is a huge draw for families from Noblesville and surrounding areas for multiple reasons, one of those being it has the only carousel in the area except for the one at the Children’s Museum in Indianapolis.
“It’s a unique attraction, something that is one of those things that is just a magnet for kids,” said Brandon Bennet, director of the Noblesville Parks and Recreation Department. “They’re just drawn to it.”
Although the carousel has made Forest Park its home for 20 years, it is actually from 1927. Forest Park leases it from the Historic Amusement Foundation and performs all maintenance upkeep. It is also inspected by the state for safety.
And despite the anniversary, Bennett said the parks department isn’t currently planning on doing anything special for the carousel to celebrate.
“We may look at doing something later on in the fall, but we haven’t discussed anything yet,” he said.
A concessioner runs the carousel, and rides cost $2. Parents can go on to hold their kids for free.
Bennett said that a carousel brings back lots of memories for everyone, his most vivid being that he got engaged at the carousel in Forest Park.
And, in addition to getting engaged on the carousel, Bennett said it brings back memories from childhood, too.
“It’s just one of those things that even for adults it brings you back to your childhood … you see (it) and all these memories come flooding back,” Bennett said. “It’s one of those unique memory makers for kids.”
Some of the horses are stationary, and there are benches for kids afraid of the jumping motion of the horses.
Weather permitting, the carousel runs seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.
