The Spokane Parks Foundation is on a mission to bring the historic Looff Carrousel band organ into the digital age. By converting the original songs into digital versions, they aim to restore the magic and charm that this beloved attraction holds. Looff Carrousel stands out among Spokane's other trademark attractions, captivating visitors with its timeless allure.

Preserving History with Digital Delight

Section 1: The Love at First Sight

For Bette Largent, the connection with the Looff Carrousel was immediate. "It's just love at first sight, as they say," she shared. Her dedication to the carousel spanned decades as she served as president of the National Carousel Association and meticulously preserved the Riverfront Park centerpiece. Hand-painting each horse, tiger, and dragon was a labor of love that showcased her commitment.

She watched as generations came and went, yet the original music of the band organ remained silent for decades. The beating heart of the carousel had stopped pumping out the waltzes, polkas, and marches since 1989, except on rare occasions when the scrolls of hole-punched paper music were wearing out.

Section 2: The Labor of Love

Since the 1990s, Largent and others have been working tirelessly to rebuild the organ's instruments. The music scrolls have now been scanned and digitized, ready to play on the century-old drums and reeds. "There isn't anything quite like it," Largent exclaimed. "Ours is the equivalent of a 60-piece band. There's no need for speakers, woofers, or tweeters to expand the sound."

The process of restoring the organ has been a labor of love, with every detail carefully attended to. The team has been working towards the goal of bringing the original music back to the park, filling the air with the melodies that have been missed for so long.

Section 3: The Final Piece

There is just one piece missing to complete the restoration puzzle - the equipment that can read the digitized files and communicate with the pneumatic pipes to play the music. The Spokane Parks Foundation is now raising $15,000 to acquire this final piece.

"We're hoping to raise it within the community," Largent said. "Then they will have a sense of ownership." It's also possible that they may need to apply for grants to fund the project. The goal is to have the original music filling the park once again by next year, in time for the 50th anniversary of the carousel's placement in Riverfront Park.

Largent believes that the experience of hearing a real band organ is indescribable. "Maybe it's the vibrations in your body. I don't know, I can't put my finger on it, but the chill is there. That's why we play music for a carousel. It puts the magic back in."

You can donate to the music restoration project here.