It started out as a normal ride at the Bryant Park carousel in Midtown Manhattan. Eager children boarded ornate rabbits, frogs, and, of course, horses. Until a grown jockey wearing bright bright pink and green silks saddled up next to them. Then, a trumpeter sounded the call to the post and announcers sitting nearby shouted, “And they’re off!” into their mics.
The 143rd running of the Bryant Park Stakes is the work of New York City–based comedy group Improv Everywhere, a self-described “prank collective that causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places.”
According to Improv Everywhere:
A single jockey was joined by two announcers, a roaring crowd, and a trumpeter. The children on the carousel had no idea what was going on. The mission took place at Le Carrousel in New York’s Bryant Park.
Watch the second part of the stunt below:
