Balboa Park Carousel Extends Hours and Celebrates 100th Anniversary
The Balboa Park Carousel is extending its operating hours for the summer season. Throughout the summer, the carousel will be open every day from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. until school resumes on August 26, offering more opportunities to grasp the brass ring. The Balboa Park Carousel follows the San Diego Unified School District calendar and will remain open on weekends and school holidays once school resumes.
The carousel is located at 1889 Zoo Place, and tickets are available for purchase at the carousel ticket booth, $3 per ride or 4 rides for $10. The ticket booth accepts cash and debit, credit, and touchless payments.
The historic Balboa Park Carousel is celebrating its 100th anniversary in Balboa Park this year. On July 25, 2022, the carousel will mark the anniversary on National Carousel Day with free rides and commemorative activities for families.
The Balboa Park Carousel was built in 1910 and is a classic wood, menagerie carousel, featuring 52 original animals. The carousel still runs on its original General Electric motor, and the hand-painted murals, military band organ, and brass ring game are original as well. With the careful care of Carousel Manager Bill Brown and staff, the Balboa Park Carousel is running almost exactly as it did in 1910.
Last year, the Balboa Park Carousel and adjacent Kiddie Ride were designated Historical Resources by the City of San Diego’s Historical Resources Board. In a rare move, the city’s board approved the historical designation under three of six possible criteria: Criterion A: “special element of the City’s historical development”; Criterion C: “excellent example of Golden Age Menagerie Style Carousel”; and Criterion F: “contributing resource to the Balboa Park Historic District.”
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