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
24 episodes
Episode 23: Why Rambling is Good for Your Soul
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. On today's episode, we see what happens when we throw the playbook out the window. Join host Allie Wagner as we rumble (and ramble) off the rails slightly in this improvisational episode...
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Episode 23
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24:21
Episode 22: Mayoral Update and a Discussion about Beliefs and the Power of "What If"
Welcome the Carousel of Happiness Podcast.On today's episode, we celebrate a peaceful transition of power at the Carousel of Happiness. Madam Piglet Eunice Stardust becomes the 2025 Mayor of the Carousel. We hear details about the electi...
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Episode 22
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17:51
Episode 21: Pat Craig, the Wild Animal Sanctuary, and the Power of Compassionate Empathy
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast.On today’s episode we’re going to hear the story of Pat Craig and the Wild Animal Sanctuary. Did you know over 30,000 acres in the state of Colorado is home to over 950 lions, tigers, bears, a...
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Episode 21
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35:39
Episode 20: Celebrating 20 Episodes and the Finding the "Joy" in the Journey
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast.On today’s episode, we’re taking a quick break to celebrate and reflect on how far we’ve come together on the podcast. Host, Allie Wagner, tells you about a camping trip she's planning, and we...
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Episode 20
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18:19
Episode 19: Artists, the "Muse," and the Story of the Twirling Girl
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. On today’s episode, we continue the conversation about the creative process by focusing on the Muse. How do Muses inspire creativity? Who was Scott’s Muse? Host, Allie Wagner, introduces...
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Episode 19
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20:37
Episode 18: Lessons on Art and Grieving from Carousel Operator, Burt Rashbaum
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast.On today’s episode, you'll meet Carousel Operator, Burt Rashbaum. He’s one of only a handful of people who have the distinct privilege of operating the carousel, something he has done since Se...
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Episode 18
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22:08
Episode 17: The True Story of Elephant's Disappearance
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. As many of you know, Elephant was reported missing in the local Mountain Ear newspaper a couple of weeks ago. But, we at the Carousel of Happiness, need to set the record straight on a few ...
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Episode 17
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22:33
Episode 16: What Animals Really Want Us to Know: A Conversation with Animal Communicator, JoLee Wingerson
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. On today's episode, host, Allie Wagner sits down with JoLee Wingerson, a Boulder-based animal communicator with almost 25 years of experience. For more than two decades, JoLee has communicated with ...
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Episode 16
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29:35
Episode 15: Lessons On Listening from Gift Shop Manager, Pat Hagberg
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. On today's episode, you'll meet gift shop manager and social media maven, Pat Hagberg. Pat was the original “girl boss” before that was even a term, and upon retirement, she found her way to the car...
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Episode 15
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28:35
Episode 14: Meet BoCo Open Space Ranger, Kevin Grady, & his "Miracle Dog" Dottie
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. On today's show, you'll meet Boulder County Open Space Ranger, Kevin Grady, and his "Miracle Dog," Dottie. You'll learn about how they started working together, and how a mysterious accident caused ...
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Episode 14
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23:50
Episode 13: Dragons, Veterans, and Healing Through Art: A Visit to the Warrior Storyfield
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. On today's episode, we learn more about the Warrior Storyfield project in Longmont, and how a veterans are being healed and shaped by a 16 ft. dragon, an 18 ft. phoenix, and the space in between. Jo...
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Episode 13
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29:04
Episode 12: Radical Love, Acceptance, and a Tail of Two Piggies
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. On today's episode, host Allie Wagner shares a recent visit she took to the local Tail of Two Cities animal sanctuary just outside Nederland....
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Episode 12
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22:04
Episode 11: Vote for Mayor – Spreading Love & Joy This Election Season
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. On today's episode, we are beginning our Mayoral Election Coverage for 2025. For the next 7 weeks, we will join together to strengthen our love and compassion muscles, all while raising money for th...
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Episode 11
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26:26
Episode 10: Why is the Fish So Small & Other Questions from the Wonder Box
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. On today's episode, host Allie Wagner answers some of your carousel-related questions from the Wonder Box. Like “why is the fish so small?” and “how fast is the cheetah?” You'll also learn how many ...
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Episode 10
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18:11
Episode 9: Lessons from the Wonder Box: How Awe & Wonder Have the Power to Heal
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. On today's episode, host Allie Wagner digs into the Wonder Box, and fishes out some of your questions and musings about life, love, joy, and peace. We’ll discuss the healing power of wonder and awe ...
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Episode 9
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25:19
Episode 8: Love, Loverators, and the Power of Living a Heart-Centered Life
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. In honor of Valentine’s Day this week, today’s episode is all about love and the heart. But not a love made of paper hearts, but one that is being circulated throughout the carousel community ...
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Episode 8
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17:36
Episode 7: Rebecca Linn, Community-Based Acupuncture & the Power of 5 Needles
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. On today's episode we meet carousel operator, admin, and painter Rebecca Linn. For the last year, she's been offering community-based acupuncture at the Carousel of Happiness. You'll hear about the ...
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Episode 7
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24:11
Episode 6: Creativity, Joy, and the Myth of the Tortured Artist
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. On today's episode we explore joy and its relationship to the creative process. Are they related? How? Aren't all artists supposed to be tortured? Plus, host Allie Wagner, shares a big mistake she's...
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Episode 6
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21:52
Episode 5: Finding Beauty in Nederland: From Dead Guys to Carousel Guys
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. On today's episode, we try to explain the town of Nederland. A town the size of 1.6-square miles, with no stoplight, and a population of around 1,500 miners, hippies, and other assorted mountain fol...
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Episode 5
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23:09
Episode 4: What a Carousel Can Teach Us About the Power of Inclusion
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. On today's episode, we learn how a 1910 Charles Looff-designed carousel frame makes its way to Nederland from Salt Lake City. And, with it, a legacy of inclusion that has an impact on those who visi...
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Episode 4
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18:44
Episode 3: How Animals Help Humans Heal
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. On today's episode, we’ll discuss the role animals can play in the healing of human beings. Plus, you'll hear the story of Rabbit the First, the first animal Scott Harrison carves for the carousel, ...
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14:41
Episode 2: What the Carousel of Happiness Can Teach Us About Our Sadness
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. On today's episode we explore the relationship between dark and light. How do challenging moments in our lives become the catalyst for some of our most joyful contributions to this world? What...
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Episode 2
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20:50
Episode 1: How a 3-Min Carousel Ride Can Change Your Life
Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. On today's episode, we'll share the origin story of the Carousel of Happiness located in Nederland, Colorado. You'll hear how carousel creator and carver, Scott Harrison, was first called to the ide...
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Episode 1
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30:53
Coming January 7th: the 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...
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Episode 1
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5:54
