Carousel

What has 30 jumping horses, eight stationary ponies, two chariots and plays by the seaside? The answer is the Balboa Fun Zone's iconic carousel of course! But unfortunately, it will no longer be gracing the bayfront carnival wonderland. The Balboa Peninsula's most famous horses have stopped galloping after delivering 25 years of rides and memories to visitors and local families alike. The Ferris wheel, arcade and trampoline are scheduled to remain on the site. But for the first time in its 75-year history, the Fun Zone is without a carousel.

W hen it's time to go, it's time to go. That applies to people, light bulbs and carousels, and for the carousel at Fashion Island, last January was time to go. The merry-go-round had served well, kids and non-kids loved it, it went round and round, which is a good thing, but Fashion Island was getting fluffed and folded in an Italian village makeover and a whirling, twirling carousel was not the best fit. The carousel was dismantled, packed...

The Irvine City Council this week approved the purchase of a hand-painted carousel that used to be at Fashion Island in Newport Beach. The Venetian-themed carousel, which has 32 colorful animal figures and two chariots, can accommodate up to 40 children at a time. The 38-foot-diameter carousel is expected to become part of the Great Park's Kids Rock playground, which is under construction. "The carousel will be an attractive addition and will add a dimension to the preview park that I know people will enjoy," Councilwoman Beth Krom said in an e-mail.

NEWPORT BEACH — Balboa Peninsula's most famous horses will stop galloping come September. The Balboa Fun Zone will likely close its iconic merry-go-round after the Fun Zone marks its 75th anniversary Sept. 24, according to manager Patrick Moore. The landlord, the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum, is not renewing the amusement's lease. The museum gave Moore notice to vacate the space on Monday. Moore said the Fun Zone must remove the ride by Sept. 30, but it will likely stop running Sept.

Among the iPods, cameras, family heirlooms and bestsellers being auctioned off on EBay, online shoppers can now bid on a Newport Beach landmark: the Balboa Fun Zone carousel. The iconic merry-go-round has been placed on the auction block with an opening bid of $149,999 . Fun Zone Manager Patrick Moore said he hopes that interested parties will spot the attraction online and reach out to him. "If I happen to sell it, wonderful, but I don't expect to," Moore said. Moore has been with the Fun Zone since 1989, not long after the carousel was installed in 1985.

A group of well-dressed local adults will ride the carousel at South Coast Plaza Wednesday afternoon, not getting off until they have successfully solicited at least $4,000 for charity. The fundraiser is an attempt by the Festival of Children Foundation to generate excitement during the tough financial climate in which many charities have found themselves. The participants, dressed in suits and ties, will use their cell phones to hit up acquaintances for money to benefit 10 children?

The sale of the Balboa Fun Zone carousel, which was expected to land the iconic ponies in the Westminster area by spring , has fallen through, the owner said. Buyers informed Fun Zone Rides owner Patrick Moore that the purchase of the carousel, which had been listed for $149,999 on eBay back in August, would no longer be possible following the collapse of a redevelopment project that was to be the ride's new home. Redevelopment projects statewide have fallen apart after Sacramento decided to keep funding in state coffers.

When it’s time to go, it’s time to go. That applies to people, light bulbs and carousels, and for the carousel at Fashion Island, last January was time to go. The merry-go-round had served well, kids and non-kids loved it, it went round and round, which is a good thing, but Fashion Island was getting fluffed and folded in an Italian village makeover and a whirling, twirling carousel was not the best fit. The carousel was dismantled, packed...

The sight of a bunch of grown businessmen and businesswomen riding the carousel at South Coast Plaza in suits while talking on cell phones is an unusual one, which is just the reason that Sandy Segerstrom Daniels thought it would make a good fundraiser for her charity, Festival of Children Foundation. Seventeen local executives, including Wahoo’s Fish Taco founder Wing Lam, Antonello Ristorante owner Antonio Cagnolo and Costa Mesa Councilwoman Katrina Foley rode around on the carousel Tuesday afternoon while calling people to solicit donations.

South Coast Plaza played host to a recent letter-writing campaign that organizers believe broke a world record for most cards written for the troops in a single afternoon. The children who participated in the April 27 "Letters from Home" campaign at the Costa Mesa shopping center wrote 507 letters within a four-hour window, according to a news release. The Festival of Children Foundation, a Costa Mesa-based nonprofit, and the Irvine-based Team Kids organized the effort, which took place in the center's Carousel Court.

Some 30 years ago, my wife and I traveled to Denver for an annual gala hosted by Barbara and Marvin Davis , which they called "The Carousel Ball. " Fast forward three decades and the Carousel Ball still unfolds annually, now in Beverly Hills with Barbara and committee at the helm. Marvin, Denver oil man and former owner and chairman of 20th Century Fox Studios, passed away a number of years ago. The ball, which originated in their hometown of Denver, raised millions of dollars at a time when a charity event was considered a success raising $50,000.

The Orange County Great Park once again raised the Irvine's City Council's hackles. The carousel and balloon rides starred prominently at Tuesday's meeting, as did the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon. These items, pulled from the meeting's consent calendar, led to a heated debate, pockmarked with insults, from both factions of the divided council. The lengthy discussion, in which the audience was given yet another walk through the park's history, ended in a 3-2 vote; Larry Agran and Beth Krom dissented.

The sale of the Balboa Fun Zone carousel, which was expected to land the iconic ponies in the Westminster area by spring , has fallen through, the owner said. Buyers informed Fun Zone Rides owner Patrick Moore that the purchase of the carousel, which had been listed for $149,999 on eBay back in August, would no longer be possible following the collapse of a redevelopment project that was to be the ride's new home. Redevelopment projects statewide have fallen apart after Sacramento decided to keep funding in state coffers.

What has 30 jumping horses, eight stationary ponies, two chariots and plays by the seaside? The answer is the Balboa Fun Zone's iconic carousel of course! But unfortunately, it will no longer be gracing the bayfront carnival wonderland. The Balboa Peninsula's most famous horses have stopped galloping after delivering 25 years of rides and memories to visitors and local families alike. The Ferris wheel, arcade and trampoline are scheduled to remain on the site. But for the first time in its 75-year history, the Fun Zone is without a carousel.

Location: 71 Fortune Drive, Irvine. It is easily accessible from the San Diego (405) and Santa Ana (5) freeways. Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday What you'll find: More than 130 merchants, anchored by Nordstrom, Macy's and Target, with a mix of smaller shops, including Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, Claire's, H&M, Lululemon, White House/Black Market,...

The iconic Balboa Fun Zone carousel is expected to reopen under new ownership in the Westminster area in the spring, said its previous operator. While Patrick Moore, the longtime operator of the Fun Zone rides, could not go into details with the Daily Pilot on Thursday because the sale is not yet finalized, he said that the carousel would land somewhere off the San Diego (405) Freeway close enough for locals to enjoy it. "One of the reasons that I agreed to this sale is that it would keep it nearby and open to the public," Moore said via email to the Daily Pilot.

After receiving my grandparents' letter about the four women taking a last spin on the Balboa carousel, I had to collect my tears and start to laugh about all the fun I have had on that wonderful carousel. It breaks my heart to think that they are going to take apart a piece of so many families' traditions to have a patio. I spent so many summers standing in line watching it go round and round to pick out my favorite horse to ride. As soon as they took my token, I would run as fast as I could and jump on for the two-minute ride.

I recently took my 5-year-old daughter to the Balboa Fun Zone. There was no debate about what we'd do first. She charged the historic merry-go-round. I paid the freight. She climbed aboard a painted pony. I strapped her in and took a seat, the breeze of the bay at my back. It's hard to say what came first — the revolutions or the smiles. She loved the rickety old amusement, just one of countless kids to fall under its dizzy spell since the early 1950s. I took barely-legible snapshots on my phone.

The historic merry-go-round at the Balboa Fun Zone will remain in Southern California, its owner said Thursday. Patrick Moore said the historic attraction has sold, but he declined to name the new owner or where the painted ponies would be located. Moore listed t he carousel on EBay for $149,999, but "discounted the price to the buyers in order to keep it somewhat local," he told the Daily Pilot in an email. He said it will be "within about 15 miles from here along the 405, if all goes according to plan.