BURLINGTON CAROUSEL FESTIVAL

The sign next to the Dentzel Menagerie Carousel (Credit: Jacob Lenz)

​The Burlington Carousel Festival is an annual festival held in Burlington celebrating the Dentzel Menagerie Carousel. The carousel itself, built in 1910 by the Dentzel Family in Philadelphia, is considered one of the most historic treasures in Burlington. It is from this appreciation that the festival was born, setting aside a weekend each year to acknowledge the beloved landmark through music and art. The two day festival includes three venues, The Jimmy Combs Amphitheater, the Thataways Stage, and the Performing Arts Tent, and usually draws crowds around 20,000. The Amphitheater features larger acts, such as national recording artist Mac McAnally in 2012, while the Thataways Stage often features smaller, local bands such as the Alamance Jazz Band. The Performing Arts Tent features any number of acts, ranging from juggling and magic to dance. The festival has grown in popularity and has become a well respected event in the southeast especially with the help of local businesses such as the American National Bank. The support and attitude of the residents of Burlington also helped to make the Burlington Carousel Festival an extremely memorable one. In 2005, Travelocity went as far to place the festival in the top ten of the "Local Secrets, Big Finds" poll.

References: http://www.burlingtonnc.gov/index.aspx?NID=867, http://www.burlingtonnc.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/45