Spinning and dipping, Minnesota fairgoers delight in the classic Tilt-A-Whirl ride as it turns 100

Spinning and dipping, Minnesota fairgoers delight in the classic Tilt-A-Whirl ride as it turns 100 0 seconds of 58 secondsVolume 0% Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts Keyboard ShortcutsEnabledDisabled Shortcuts Open/Close/ or ? Play/PauseSPACE Increase Volume↑ Decrease Volume↓ Seek Forward→ Seek Backward← Captions On/Offc Fullscreen/Exit Fullscreenf Mute/Unmutem Decrease Caption Size- Increase Caption Size+ or = Seek %0-9 Next Up Nostalgic spinning top craze whirls through Hong Kong 00:47 Subtitle Settings OffEnglish(US)_v Font Color White Font Opacity 100% Font Size 100% Font Family Arial Character Edge None Edge Color Black Background Color Black Background Opacity 50% Window Color Black Window Opacity 0% Reset WhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyan 100%75%50%25% 200%175%150%125%100%75%50% ArialCourierGeorgiaImpactLucida ConsoleTahomaTimes New RomanTrebuchet MSVerdana NoneRaisedDepressedUniformDrop Shadow WhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyan WhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyan 100%75%50%25%0% WhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyan 100%75%50%25%0% 00:00 00:58 00:58 More Videos 00:47 Nostalgic spinning top craze whirls through Hong Kong 01:47 US states grapple with Supreme Court's order on elections 00:52 A Chinese humanoid robot sets 100-meter sprint record of 8.86 seconds 00:51 'Katyusha', the first panda born in Russia, celebrates 3rd birthday in Moscow Zoo 01:25 All the latest video game innovations wow crowds at Gamescom 00:23 Dolly Parton honored in NYC 01:18 Blacksmiths recreate Viking ship anchor with traditional techniques 01:42 AP music writer: Dolly Parton 'beloved by people across gender and race and class lines' Close 1 of 6 | The classic amusement park ride has been delighting riders of all ages since it debuted at the Minnesota-state-fair" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="196361" data-entity-type="event">Minnesota State Fair in 1926. 2 of 6 | Fairgoers pass the Tilt-A-Whirl, Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, at the Minnesota-state-fair" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="196361" data-entity-type="event">Minnesota State Fair in Falcon Heights, Minn. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt) 3 of 6 | Lana Berge, of Minneapolis, screams while riding the Tilt-A-Whirl with friends Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, at the Minnesota-state-fair" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="196361" data-entity-type="event">Minnesota State Fair in Falcon Heights, Minn. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt) 4 of 6 | A rider clutches a Tilt-A-Whirl car Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, at the Minnesota-state-fair" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="196361" data-entity-type="event">Minnesota State Fair in Falcon Heights, Minn. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt) 5 of 6 | Dizzy riders tread lightly as they step off the Tilt-A-Whirl, Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, at the Minnesota-state-fair" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="196361" data-entity-type="event">Minnesota State Fair in Falcon Heights, Minn. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt) 6 of 6 | A Tilt-A-Whirl car spins Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, at the Minnesota-state-fair" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="196361" data-entity-type="event">Minnesota State Fair in Falcon Heights, Minn. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt) By Ellen Schmidt and MARK VANCLEAVE Updated 6:22 AM MESZ, August 30, 2026 Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Falcon Heights, Minn. (AP) — With screams and giggles, whipping ponytails and white-knuckle grips, Minnesota fairgoers are taking delight in the magic of the Tilt-A-Whirl ride as it turns 100 years old. The iconic ride and its brightly colored cars debuted at the Minnesota-state-fair" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="196361" data-entity-type="event">Minnesota State Fair in 1926, and it has been a mainstay at fairs across the country ever since. Riders who stumbled off the ride on Thursday spoke with The Associated Press about the ride, which is a favorite for many. Valerie Nelson, a Minnesota native who returned to her home state to visit the fair, said she first rode the Tilt-A-Whirl as a child in the 1970s. “It’s my favorite ride forever and ever,” she said. “Whenever I see it, I try to get on. I love the spin when it pushes you back into the chair.” “It’s the only ride I’ll go on,” said Sherri Gray, of Stillwater, Minnesota, who joined Nelson on the ride. Samuel Mishek, 7, of Minneapolis, also said the Tilt-A-Whirl is his favorite fair ride, and he rode it twice in a row Thursday — screaming while riding alone in a car as it twirled and jerked. “I like when there’s little bumps because you can get ready and you know when it’s going to turn really fast,” he said. The Tilt-A-Whirl has been a tradition at fairs around the country since 1926. Herbert Sellner, an inventor for a manufacturing company in Faribault, Minnesota, created it after attempting to make a water ride with spinning boats — which failed and was destroyed in a storm. After that, his brother Martin Sellner suggested he make a land-bound version, according to Rice County Historical Society curator Jenna Nelson. 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Lauthier has been operating the Tilt-A-Whirl at the Minnesota-state-fair" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="196361" data-entity-type="event">Minnesota State Fair for the last 12 years. He said Midwesterners have a particular affinity for the ride. And many riders said the Tilt-A-Whirl has become a family tradition. “As long as I can remember, when I was young my parents and my grandparents took me to the fair, we rode the Tilt-A-Whirl every time. We love to bring our kids and do the same thing,” said Mike Pream-Anderson, a Minneapolis native. “It’s definitely a family tradition. Knowing that it’s 100 years old this year is pretty crazy, but I’m glad that we get to be a part of it.” Friends Riley Lovett and Molly Rossbach relived their ride with giggles and nostalgia, talking about the “butterflies” they got Thursday afternoon, and remembering the Tilt-A-Whirl rides of their past. Upon learning the ride was 100, Lovett high-fived her friend Rossbach, who proclaimed: “Happy birthday Tilt-A-Whirl!” Schmidt is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Ellen Schmidt Schmidt is the AP’s staff photographer based in Minneapolis. She is also a Report for America corps member. instagram mailto