THE BRASS RING
The 1911 Looff Carousel at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has one of only five working carousel ring machines in the country. And when you’re astride your proud, pretty horse and rounding that crucial turn, the ring is the thing. But what’s the best technique to grab it, throw it in the giant clown’s mouth and make his eyes light up? Tish Denevan knows. Her family has decades of Boardwalk experience — she has pictures of her grandparents there as far back as 1917, she spent all her summers there growing up, and she’s been working at the Boardwalk since 1978, often leading historical and behind-thescenes tours. The rings — which are steel these days, not brass — are very popular, she says. “The idea is to get the ring in the clown’s mouth, but they’ve really become part of the souvenirs of the Boardwalk,” she says. “So people grab them and take them home, which is great. We buy 40,000 of them every year to replace them.”
TO GRAB THE RING:
1. Hold onto your horse securely with your left hand. 2. Lean back slightly, reach out with your right hand, and catch the ring with your forefinger. 3. To throw it in the clown’s mouth, take your time, focus on the mouth each time you go around, then toss — in the fashion of skipping a rock on a lake. If you make it, a horn sounds, a bell rings, and the lights go on.
AND FINALLY:
4. “Raise your hands, scream, and look around to see if anybody saw you do it,” Denevan says. “That’s the best part.”