Carousel of Happiness Podcast
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast! It all starts with Scott Harrison, a Vietnam veteran, who channelled his grief into art by hand-carving and restoring a 1910 Charles Looff-designed carousel that actively spins today. On the podcast, you'll hear stories about how the carousel came to be and how it found an unusual home 8,000 feet above sea level in the quirky mountain town of Nederland, Colorado. The Carousel of Happiness Podcast is your weekly hub of positivity where we'll spin yarns and tell tales about the carousel itself, the people who keep it spinning, and the over 1 million visitors who are fundamentally changed as a result of their visit. Not sure how a $3 ride ticket can change your life? We'll show you how on the podcast. In the meantime, take care. Be well. And don't delay joy. We'll see you next time around.
Episodes
George Blevins isn’t just Nederland’s favorite cartoonist. He’s also played a role in the design of the Carousel of Happiness, apparent at the center of our logo. But that’s only part of the reason we’re celebrating the first annual George Blevins Day on August 1st and 2nd this year at the Carousel.
George will tell us the real reason, along with his life story: how he achieved his ultimate childh...
We talk to two Ukrainian service members, Illia and Kostya about their journey from the front lines of the War in Ukraine to the Carousel of Happiness. We learn about how two Colorado nonprofits, Warriors on Cataract Canyon and Limbs for Liberty, have invited them to work on healing their PTSD through travel, nature, and connection with other veterans.
Sources:
Why is 2026 being called The Year of Whimsy Maxxing? Hosts Nick Alexander and Sarah Bishop talk all about whimsy, where it comes from, and how we can cultivate in our lives.
Do you have a story to share? Leave us a message!
The Carousel of Happiness is a nonprofit arts & culture organization dedicated to inspiring happiness, well-being, and service to others through stories and experiences.
We try to transport youto the Memorial Day celebration at the Carousel of Happiness -- and explain why the holiday is so important to us and to the many people who joined us on May 25, 2026.
You can hear the music of Sean Applebee, who so elegantly performed Taps for us, here: https://www.seanapplebeeandbeyond.com/
You can read Christopher Kelley's article about our Memorial Day celebration in the Mountain Ear here: https...
On today's episode, hosts Nick Alexander and Sarah Bishop talk about their new roles at the Carousel of Happiness and the big shoes that they’re filling. They discuss why we delay joy and what’s next for the carousel, including ourMemorial Day celebration.
Do you have a story to share? Leave us a message!
If you'd like to keep in touch with our original host, Allie Wagner, on her new journey, you can...
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast.
On today's episode, host Allie Wagner says goodbye. We talk about honoring the past while looking to the future, how our filters shape our stories and our lives, and how we can look to art to help us make sense and order out of the chaos of life. All while using this special little carousel as our guide one last time together.
The podcast will be going silent until we find another h...
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast.
On today’s episode, we’re going to celebrate the podcast’s one-year anniversary with a little bit of gratitude. That’s right, exactly one year ago this week we started this journey together and it’s perfect timing to reflect on how far we’ve come and talk a little bit about where we’re going.
On today’s episode, I’m going to shar...
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast.
On today’s episode, we’re going to talk about joy. Specifically why you shouldn’t delay it, and why, despite your best efforts, you might delay it anyway. We’ll learn about what joy does to our bodies physiologically, why a Harvard researcher thinks joy is the deepest reason for us to exist at all, and what research shows about why human beings protect themselves ...
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast.
Today is the last day to enjoy a donation match to celebrate the wedding anniversary of friends of the carousel, Larry and Jane McGrath. Go to our website here and make a donation "In Honor of..." or "In Memory of..." in order to get the match. You and your honoree will even receive a personalized thank you from Lady Mayor herself.
Happy 56th Wedding Anniversary, Larry and Jane!!
Aft...
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast.
There’s a holiday tradition at the carousel that very few people know about. It's a party so exclusive that it's been hidden from the general public until now. But, for the first time in carousel history, we've been given permission to share the story of this tradition with all of you, and invite you to participate this year.
****
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast.
On today’s episode, you’ll hear Allie's conversation with author, speaker, and evidential medium, Travis Holp. The two sat down at the Awkwardly Zen 11:11 Metaphysical Fair in Lakewood on November 8th to talk about mediumship, how we can connect with our loved ones on the other side, signs and synchronicities, and what death can teach us about life.
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast.
On today’s episode, we’re going to talk about a feature of the carousel called the Somewhere Else Wall. A stuccoed wall between the carousel and the gift shop that Scott designed in 2011. We’ll talk about how it was intended to represent a portal, so to speak, between those of us who are here. And those of us who are somewhere else.
In Part I of this two-part...
Welcome to a SPECIAL EDITION of the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. Join Guest Host, Sidse Powell, as she sits down with business owners from the Caribou Village Shopping Center to share their stories.
On today’s episode, Sisde sits down with Claudia Schauffler. Owner of The Shop. A clothing store specializing in new and used mountain fashion. You'll learn how The Shop was Claudia's plan for retirement, and how she made t...
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast.
On today's episode, we celebrate the life and legacy of one of the carousel's most ardent supporters and ambassadors, Doug Cosper. Doug passed away from cancer this past July.
In addition to being a lifelong journalist and educator, Doug was a close friend of Scott’s and one of the carousel’s earliest supporters. You’ll hear how Doug crammed multiple lifetimes into one, ...
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast.
On today's episode, you'll hear about host Allie Wagner's experience taking self-healing and manifestation classes at the Boulder Psychic Institute. Over the course of a couple of months, she enrolled in their three introductory classes and joined students online from all over the world in learning how to ground, protect, and heal our own energy. On today’s episode, you...
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast.
On today’s episode, you’ll hear the story of Sarah and Matt. A young couple from Louisville, Kentucky who decided to make the carousel part of their elopement earlier this month. You’ll learn why they eloped, how the carousel became part of their special day, and what elopement can teach us about listening to our hearts.
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. As the carousel and the community recover from the shopping center fire, today's episode is about the awkwardness of the "in between" stage of growth. How uncomfortable it can be to be half "here" and half "there" and what you can do to help ease the transition. If you feel like everything is "crazy" these days and "nothing is making sense," be sure to give it a listen. You are not alon...
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast.
On today's episode, I want to share some information about last week’s fire in Nederland. Last Thursday, October 9th, the Caribou Village Shopping Center, where the Carousel of Happiness is located, burned in the early morning hours. The carousel itself only suffered minor exterior damage, but the main shopping center building, home to 18 local small businesses, was completely lost...
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast.
On today's episode, host Allie Wagner tells you about a mysterious note she found lying on her desk. The outside of the envelope read, “What the Carousel Wants You to Know.” She was curious, so she opened it. And you wouldn’t believe what it said. Listen to all the juicy details on today’s episode of the podcast.
Join us for our annual fundraiser, Animals Aft...
Welcome to the Carouse of Happiness Podcast.
On today’s episode, we’ll talk about our healing relationships with animals. What can we learn from animals to make us better humans? How can we support the healing of animals in our lives? I’ll share a conversation I had with Genie Joseph, founder of the Tucson-based nonprofit organization, the Human-Animal Connection. Genie is a dog trainer, animal communicator, and an...
Popular Podcasts
Hey Jonas! The official Jonas Brothers podcast. Hosted by Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas. It’s the Jonas Brothers you know... musicians, actors, and well, yes, brothers. Now, they’re sharing another side of themselves in the playful, intimate, and irreverent way only they can. Spend time with the Jonas Brothers here and stay a little bit longer for deep conversations like never before.
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Betrayal Weekly is back for a new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. If you would like to share your story, you can reach out to the Betrayal Team by emailing them at betrayalpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.