COVID-19 slowed down business on First Friday in the Carrousel District of downtown Mansfield. While the carnival music is still on at Richland Carrousel Park, not many children are coming. Director Sharon Bishop said they are doing only about 50 percent of the business that they should be doing.
According to Richland Source dot com, the Carrousel reopened in July with the center row of animals taken out to keep riders six feet apart. Bishop said while 34 out of 50 animals are available, they are not all occupied. The Christmas Open House at the Carrousel is scheduled for Nov. 21.
The staff will be putting up a big display, including 14 Christmas trees. For now, the Carrousel is inviting downtown businesses to decorate these Christmas trees for free. She also said visitors would get a ballot to vote on the tree they like.