One hundred and forty one years old and still running round and round in circles with no signs of tiring, the Flying Horses opens this Saturday as per tradition every Easter weekend. The nation’s oldest carousel is living history that is indeed alive. No musty museum piece, the horses still gallop, the kids still reach for the brass ring, (the savviest able to grab three, four or more rings at a time) and the cotton candy and popcorn await everyone — young or old, rider or cheering section.

The Flying Horses was built in 1876 and is the nation’s oldest continually operating platform carousel. Initally it had New York roots, but was moved to Oak Bluffs from Coney Island in 1884.

The carousel is now owned by the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust and has been designated a national landmark. Flying Horses will be open Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until Memorial Day, when it returns to a full schedule for the summer season.