Carousel of Happiness Podcast

Fall is in the air and we’re going back to school. Instead of numbers and ABCs, we’re learning about emotions, empathy, about the transformative power of parenting, and how the Carousel of Happiness has an important role to play as "third space" in our community. Our guest is Betsy Epp, my colleague, friend, and parenting mentor. Betsy is the Social Emotional Learning Coordinator at New...

Not only is CB Miller tied as the youngest paid operator of the Carousel of Happiness... they also hosted our first Paint & Spin. CB and I discussed what it was like to grow up alongside the carousel, how it has impacted their art, the mining history of Nederland, and how it all connects to animals, the environment, and AI.  Do you have a story to share? Leave us a message! Support the show Th...

Today, we’ll talk to Sarah Bishop, the carousel’s assistant director and my sometimes collaborator – about how the process of writing and playing songs has helped us both get through challenging passages in our life. You can find more of Sarah's music at https://sarahbankermusic.com/ You can find some of Nick and Josh's music at https://wearenewborn.bandcamp.com/ and https://lamplightlam...

Scott Harrison, the carver and founder of The Carousel of Happiness, talk about the similarities between music boxes and carousels, how the former helped Scott to relax, reboot, and renew – and how he hopes the latter can do the same for others. You can find Scott’s books, the “Carousel Soul” and “Haiku Poetry” at The Carousel of Happiness gift shop, or on our website, linked here: https://carouse...

We talk with Burt Rashbaum, who is both a poet and an operator at the Carousel of Happiness. You may remember him from this podcast’s debut episode, where we got to hear him introduce the carousel or from episode 18, titled “Lessons on Art & Grieving,” which you can find here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2423381/episodes/17025214 Today, Burt and I are talking about poetry – both his and the car...

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 child...

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: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russo...

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! Support the show The Carousel of Happiness is a nonprofit arts & culture organization dedicated to inspiring happiness, well-being, and service to others through stories a...

We try to transport you to 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...

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 our Memorial Day celebration .  Do you have a story to share? Leave us a message! Support the show If you'd like to keep in touch with our original host, Allie Wa...

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...

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 share how being at the car...

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...

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. ...

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. **** Want t...

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 lif...

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...

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...

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...

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 o...

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.  Want to elope in Colorado? Be...

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 d...

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 sm...

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...

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 co...