Suction Goat

The goat is a long standing staple in riverfront park and deserves nothing less than 5 stars!

First of all, it seems weird that this has a Unilocal page. Secondly, why doesn’t this have 5 stars? I’ve never seen a better trash can in all my life.

Best thing about Spokane, hands down.

This was one of my favorite things in the park growing up and as an adult I still smile and drag anyone who hasn’t seen the Riverfront Goat straight to his open mouth.

Forty years ago, Spokane became the smallest city to ever host a World’s Fair. The theme was the environment and the whole fairgrounds (which has become Riverfront Park, one of Spokane’s most beloved attractions) was covered with all these environmentally-​themed displays. Among them was this little bronze goat that’d slurp down any trash you tried to feed him, to teach the kiddies the necessity of picking up litter or something.
Forward to the modern day… one of the few things remaining from the fair is this little bronze goat, and the kids of today love him as much as the kids of the Seventies did. I’m glad he’s still there.

I finally had the honor of meeting this famous goat today!
Almost tucked away from most walking traffic, this adorable metal scupture is also functional. As shared by other Unilocalers, bring light paper litter (no cans, bottles, or food to plug up its digestive tract) to the east side of the carousel, almost right at Stevens Street, amidst some large, stone boulders. Suction Goat will happily «devour» your offerings if you remember to first wake it up by pushing the round button behind and to the right on the rock.
This is one cool goat that will only eat what you feed it. Definitely look it up when visiting Riverfront Park!

Very cute!

This is the thing that put Spokane on the map! Let me preface this review by saying that I have a huge appreciation for interactive sculptures. The Suction Goat is hands-​down my favorite ever. It’s partially because it’s not just interactive but it also has utility. Even more, it’s just funny. I mean, there are goat sculptures all over (even a couple more just at the beginning of the cascades in Riverfront Park)… why don’t they all eat your garbage?!
If you haven’t seen this yet, I would definitely recommend checking it out. And if friends, relatives, or business associates are visiting Spokane, this is the first place you should go after they arrive.
Pro tip: bring some garbage from home. After all, goats don’t eat leaves. They eat garbage.

My son really loved this. He was looking around for extra trash to «feed» the goat more :) Great idea! He showed a little girl how to use it too. Very clever idea.

My favorite all-​time attraction in any public park. Who doesn’t love a mechanical goat that eats your garbage. Come on folks this brings the kid out in all of us. Makes me want to pick up trash just to feed the little guy.

Took my kids in the 24 degree weather to go see this yesterday. It’s located next to the carousel. When we arrived, what looked like a power button was not only broken, but also not functioning. Kind of disappointing, but even if it worked, I still don’t understand why it’s so highly rated? I can appreciate it from an original public art standpoint, but I suspect that I am on the outside of an inside joke…

I like it. So I’m sitting in our hotel walking distance from the Riverfront Park (
). Thuy is still sleeping and I’m looking at the stack of «what to do» brochures I picked up in the lobby. I see the words «Suction Goat» and think to myself, «What the heck is a suction goat?» The brochures offered little clue, adding to the mystery of the aapra aegagrus hircus suckus. Well the other reviews suss it out, so no spoilers from me, but let it suffice to say if you are strolling the park, do stroll by the suction goat.
PS. If you get bored (cough Mckenzie M. cough)… Move on, there’s plenty to see in the park.

Don’t rely on your GPS to take you to the exact spot. My girlfriend and I wandered near the bridge near the IMAX theatre for a while in the snow until we found a small directory that told us the goat was near the carousel. It was within walking distance, but the lack of markers and signage makes it a tad difficult for someone like me, who’s not familiar with the area, to spot.
This is really just a brass goat with a button next to it that turns on the vacuum effect, but I got a kick out of the novelty of it in what I consider to be small town America. I didn’t realize that it’s supposed to be a garbage vacuum, so don’t forget to bring some garbage feed for the goat and a camera to take fun pictures!

This goat sucks, but it’s still pretty cool, I mean, who doesn’t like a goat?
Women looking to clean out their purses will love this silly, adorable, metal goat-​like structure with a vaccum hose running through its butt, body, neck and out it’s mouth. Yep, that’s the magic trick.

This was one of the highlights of my short visit to Spokane. I was told during dinner that I would have an opportunity to «feed the goat». I was curious and excited like a small child ready to go to the toy store, picturing an enclosed fence or a zoo with a white bearded goat eating out of my hand.
«Bring your napkins and paper and the goat will eat it, trust me!»
«Okay, whatever I gotta see this!»
We took a stroll to the Riverfront Park in Downtown Spokane; lo and behold a metallic goat statue with a «suction mouth». We «turned it on» by pressing the white button on the wall and proceeded to feed our newly found friend with paper trash and ripped up newspaper. Apparently after the trash is sucked into the goat it gets transported to a trash can connected to its butt.
Bring the kids — it’s just that cool, man.

Approach with caution and with pockets full of garbage.
LOL.
Just a smidge anticlimactic.

!!!

It took me three visits to the park to find it, but I finally found the elusive Suction Goat.
Its existence boggles the mind. What demented civil engineer took a look at Riverfront Park, looked to his friends, and said,
«You know what this park needs? Goats.»
And not just a statue of a goat — THAT would be stupid. No, this goat needs to serve a purpose. This goat will suck any and all crap that you put up its nose, like so many fallen Hollywood starlets.
The internet tells me that the goat was once part of a quintet that represented an environmental theme for the 1974 World’s Fair, but still,
It’s a goat.
That sucks up your trash via its nose.

This was definitely a one of a kind «monument» while visiting Spokane for the weekend.
My friend made me get on it so she can take a picture… whatever.
Pretty cool I must say. Nice way to keep overflowing trash bins off the streets/​parks.

Seriously, how could you NOT love the goat?
His only flaw is that he doesn’t recycle.
I am proposing the city of Spokane erect a recyclable-​devouring llama for two purposes:
1) It’s hard not to feel naughty putting aluminum and glass into the goat, this would give you a much better alternative.
2) To protect trash goat from coyote. (also: graffiti-​spraying «punkasses»)