Farris Wheel Day

This day is held annually on February 14 and is a day to honor the life of the inventor of the Farris Wheel, George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. This invention was to rival the Eiffel Tower. But, I am sure who first started this day. I also list over 20 famous Farris Wheels.

Farris Wheel Day

That first Farris Wheel was 26 stories tall and made $726,805.50, which was a huge profit in 1893. (A Ferris wheel is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating upright wheel with multiple passenger-carrying components.)

Farris Wheel Day is held annually on February 14, also known as Valentine’s Day.

Famous Farris Wheels From Around the World

Below is a list of over 20 Farris Wheels. Maybe you might be familiar with one of these? So go and ride a Farris Wheel for Farris Wheel Day!

1. Tianjin Eye Ferris Wheel in Tianjin, China, is built over a bridge spanning the Hai River.
2. The London Eye overlooks the Thames River in London. the city’s most famous landmarks and an incredible way to pinpoint all the major sites. The tallest Farris Wheel in Europe. Views of everything from Buckingham Palace to Big Ben to St. Paul’s Cathedral, and beyond.
3. Wonder Wheel of Coney Island in New York City, NY was built by the Eccentric Ferris Wheel Company from 1918-1920. This one has 24 cars, of which 16 are swinging and 8 are stationary.
4. Niagra Skywheel in Ontario, Canada overlooking Niagra Falls.
5. The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel located in the Island of Pigeon Forge, TN.
6. Singapore Flyer is the second tallest Ferris wheel in the world and located in Singapore. A seat in the Flyer offers an incredible view of landmarks like the Singapore River, Merlion Park, South China Sea and even some of Malaysia.
7. High Roller in Las Vegas, NV. The world’s tallest observation wheel.
8. Centennial Wheel in Chicago, IL. This took the place of Chicago’s previous Navy Pier Ferris Wheel. It was named the Centennial Wheel in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Lake Michigan landmark
9. Weiner Riesenrad located in Vienna, Austria. This one is the oldest still operating Ferris wheel in the world. Constructed in 1897, it was the world’s tallest extant Ferris wheel from 1920 until 1985
10. Pacific Park Wheel overlooks the ocean along Santa Monica, CA.
11. Star of Nanchang, Nanchang, China – This one has 60 gondolas, each carrying up to 8 passengers. A single rotation takes approximately 30 minutes.
12. Cosmo Clock 21, located in Yokohama, Japan – This one is a giant Ferris wheel which is also the world’s largest clock.
13. Melbourne Star in Melbourne, Australia. The only giant observation wheel in the southern hemisphere. Features 21 air-conditioned glass cabins that give riders a 360-degree view of all of Melbourne.
14. Bohai Eye in Weifang, China. The world’s largest Ferris Wheels and the largest spoke-less Ferris Wheel. This unique Ferris wheel has a body that doesn’t rotate — instead, cabins are pulled along a rail. The cabins are even equipped with built-in TV sets and wifi.
15. Big O in Tokyo, Japan – the world’s first hub-less Ferris wheel, and the largest, with a diameter of 200 feet. It’s also part of a roller coaster ride: The Thunder Dolphin.
16. Eye of the Emirates in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates – Views of the Persian Gulf coast, the skyscrapers, and all of sprawling Dubai.
17. Seattle Great Wheel in Seattle, Washington – Has 500,000 LED lights.
18. Pixar Pal-A-Round – Since June 23, 201. Located at Disney California Adventures Park at the Paradise Pier. Former names: Sun Wheel (February 8, 2001 – October 14, 2008) – 2009 to 2018 as Mickey’s Fun Wheel.
19. HEP Five – Located in Osaka, Japan. Named from the Hankyu Entertainment Park (HEP Five). It is located on the roof of a megaplex. – This Farris Wheel has views of downtown Osaka, the Osaka Harbor, and Mount Ikoma in the distance. Offers a 15-minute ride.
20. Hong King Observation Wheel – Located in Hong Kong along the harborfront. It offers climate-control gondolas and even free Wi-Fi. Great place to see the city!
21. Orland Eye – Located in Orlando, FL. This Farris Wheel has visibility as far as Cape Canaveral on the Atlantic coast.

What other Farris Wheels Can I add to this list?

Feel free to share in the comments below what your favorite Farris Wheel is and what you do on Farris Wheel Day!

I would love one day to be able to go to The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel in Pigeon Forge, TN.

First published February 13, 2019. Last updated or republished February 13, 2020.

About the Author

Steve Patterson

A Christian Blogger that enjoys blogging about the Bible, Theology, God, Jesus Christ, Christian Music, Family, Cats, Odd Holidays, sewing and much more. I have been blogging since 2004, however, I have been blogging on Courageous Christian Father since 2012. I enjoy listening to Christian Music. I am married with 1 daughter, 2 step-sons and a step daughter.

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