The historic Forest Park Carousel is celebrating its landmark status with an extra weekend of fun.
Operators of the century-old wooden amusement said they will extend the season through Nov. 2 and 3 to give carousel lovers one more chance to take a spin on the century old ride — days after city officials formally marked the landmarking by installing a plaque on Monday.
"We felt it was only appropriate to let the people of New York ride their newly landmarked carousel," said David Galst, director of operations for New York Carousel.
RELATED: FOREST PARK CAROUSEL IS NOW A CITY LANDMARK
With the landmarking process official, the carousel joins the Wonder Wheel and Cyclone in Coney Island as the only amusement rides so honored.
“I can’t be happier,” said Maria Thomson of the Greater Woodhaven Development Corp., which has been fighting to get the priceless amusement landmarked for almost 25 years. “We had to do something to commemorate it.”
The carousel, crafted by master carver Daniel Carl Muller, was brought to Forest Park in the 1970s to replace one that burned down in 1966.
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It was shuttered in the 1980s and refurbished in 1989, but fell into disrepair and was closed again from 2008 until 2012, when New York Carousel took over.
The new concessionaire gave the carousel its first major renovation in over 20 years and added free kiddie entertainment on holidays and weekends.
The carousel’s hand-carved animals are some of the last remaining works by Muller, who was known for creating life-like horses with a flourish of detail, such as the canteens sculpted into their saddles.
Forest Park Carousel, Woodhaven Boulevard and Forest Park Drive, Nov. 2-3, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For information call (718) 788-2676 or visit www.nycarousel.com.
lcolangelo@nydailynews.com
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