Kingsport Carousel to celebrate National Carousel Day on July 25th with free rides for everyone
KINGSPORT – The Kingsport Office of Cultural Arts & Engage Kingsport announce FREE RIDES for EVERYONE on National Carousel Day, July 25, 2015 at the NEW Kingsport Carousel!‚ This special day is sponsored by Tommy Hulse, mediator, and the law firm of Shine & Rowlett.
The Kingsport Carousel is located inside Pals Roundhouse at 350 Clinchfield Street Kingsport TN.‚ Kingsport Carousel will be open on July 25th from 1-8 PM.‚ Activities and demonstrations will include Wood Carving demonstrations by Kingsport Master Carvers, Face Painting, Balloon Tying and Crafts for the kids by KingsportARTS. At 1 PM Valerie Joh will begin the celebration with The Story of the Kingsport Carousel reminding everyone of the unlikely beginning of the Kingsport Carousel and the community effort that made it a reality.‚ That will be followed by a number of activities and lots of free rides.
The Kingsport Carousel is located inside Pals Roundhouse at 350 Clinchfield Street Kingsport TN.‚ Kingsport Carousel will be open on July 25th from 1-8 PM.‚ Activities and demonstrations will include Wood Carving demonstrations by Kingsport Master Carvers, Face Painting, Balloon Tying and Crafts for the kids by KingsportARTS. At 1 PM Valerie Joh will begin the celebration with The Story of the Kingsport Carousel reminding everyone of the unlikely beginning of the Kingsport Carousel and the community effort that made it a reality.‚ That will be followed by a number of activities and lots of free rides.
The Kingsport Carousel Project began in 2008 and has now involved around 400 volunteers from Kingsport and many surrounding communities. Volunteers have worked tirelessly with the goal of creating and operating a menagerie-style carousel for Kingsport. The Carousel features hand-carved wooden animals and chariots and original paintings on a refurbished/rebuilt 1956 Herschell frame.
The Kingsport Carousel Project is a joint effort by The City of Kingsport Office of Cultural Arts & Engage Kingsport, the Friends of the Cultural Arts group, a private 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation‚ governed by a volunteer board of directors and supported by the generosity of people who love the arts.
Sponsorships and donations have come from a broad population of the community–local businesses, individuals and organizations.‚ Each animal on the Carousel took between 800-1000 hours to carve and many more to paint, plus the Carousel is covered in original artwork from top to bottom.‚ There are many gorgeous details on the Carousel including Rounding board murals depicting the history of the area, paintings of local butterflies and native wildflowers and birds from the Kingsport Birding Trail. There are even animals hiding up in the sweeps.‚ You really have to see it in person to grasp just how beautiful it is.‚ Celebrate National Carousel Day this year with us, in Kingsport on Kingsport Carousel Day!!
Special sponsorship opportunities are still available.‚ Birthday party packages will be available in September.
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For more information call the Office of Cultural Arts at (423) 392-8414 or visit us online at www.EngageKingsport.com
Regular Operating Hours of the Kingsport Carousel:
Wednesday-Friday‚ ‚ ‚ 11 AM-7 PM
Saturday & Sunday‚ ‚ ‚ 1-7 PM
Special sponsorship opportunities are still available.‚ Birthday party packages will be available in September. For more information call the Office of Cultural Arts at (423) 392-8414 or visit us online at www.EngageKingsport.com
Events for National Carousel Day 2015:
Noon: Valerie Joh talks about the inspiration behind the Kingsport Carousel and welcomes everyone to National Carousel Day 2015
Master Carvers Joe Pilkenton and Wayne Herbert: Carving demonstrations.
Carol Schmidt: Balloon Tying and Face Painting.
KingsportARTS: Christmas in July, Ornament making activity for children which go the Governor in Nashville.
Roaming Fairy of the Carousel, for selfies in line!
Volunteer Opportunities:
Tell your friends, tell your family!
Its not too late to be a part of a new wonderful tradition in Kingsport!
423-392-8414
Training provided:
1) Carousel Operator Assistant
Monitor loading and unloading. Keep the public safe. Count the smiles!
2) Carousel Tour Guide/Docent
Share the stories of the carousel. We want folks to know how to make a horse, history of the Round‚ing Boards, stories of birds, butterflies and wild‚flowers.
Lots to talk about. Also, be prepared to recommend restaurants, shopping and other fun things to do in Kingsport.
3) Gift Shop Assistant
Keep our beautiful gift shop tidy, help customers find t-shirt sizes.
4) Gift Shop Cashier
Use our new Square system to make sales to the public. All funds raised through the gift shop go to support the carousel.
City of Kingsport Mission: To provide economic, educational and quality-of-life opportunities that create a safe, vibrant and diverse community.
Office of Cultural Arts, a department of the City of Kingsport, connects, coordinates and engages the public with a creative community.‚ Programs & partnerships include: Public Art Kingsport, Flying Pig Gallery & Studios, The Engage Kingsport Performing Arts Series, the Kingsport Carousel Project and more.‚ They provide a broad range of support to the areas arts organizations and individual artists.‚ ‚ ‚ They work in tandem with Engage Kingsport, a private 501(c)3 non-profit organization, in order to facilitate their objectives.
The Office of Cultural Arts and Engage Kingsports goals are to collaborate with a variety of arts organizations as well as non-arts organizations, with the aim of increasing opportunities and outlets for artists of all types. As Kingsport and the surrounding communities become a destination for artists and art enthusiasts, new markets and opportunities emerge. The Kingsport Office of Cultural Arts and Engage Kingsport are dedicated to cultivating cultural assets and promoting them as vehicles for economic and community development within our region.
Art Transforms People and Places
