Sign of the Times

By C.J. Hirschfield

You’d be amazed how many people don’t know Children’s Fairyland exists (or “still exists”). It’s not that we’re a secret, exactly, but our public façade has always been a bit … reserved. If you were driving past our Grand Avenue entrance in a hurry, you could easily miss us.

Well, no longer.

Last Friday, for the first time in Fairyland history – and just in time for our 68^th anniversary on Sept. 2 – we got an entrance sign that does us proud.

And it took only 10 years of planning and 15 months of groundwork.

C.J. and the new sign. Photo by John Kirkmire

The story began in 2008 when voters passed the East Bay Regional Park District’s Measure WW, a bond measure that awarded more than $84 million to 34 cities, park districts and the Oakland Zoo. From that sum, $500,000 was allotted to improvements at Lakeside Park, including a renovation of Fairyland’s entryway.

That wasn’t quite enough for what I’d wanted since I became Fairyland’s executive director 16 years ago: a big sign, illuminated at night, on our Grand Avenue frontage. So Fairyland raised $50,000 more from private sources.

Ace Architects, which had designed our wonderfully off-kilter Aesop’s Playhouse, drew a rendering that included tilting letters in the famous Fairyland crayon colors. They also designed two whimsical (yet totally functional) handrails and a colorfully tiled staircase.

Whimsical railings designed by Ace Architects and fabricated by Ferrous Studios

Construction on the Lakeside Park improvements, coordinated by Oakland contractors McGuire and Hester, began in May 2017. We watched the transformation slowly unfold and plugged our ears against the noise. Our guests gamely traversed the temporary detour to our fairy gates.

Plants were planted: beautiful! Several enormous shoeprints were embedded into the winding walkway: very Fairylandish! The railings, fabricated by Ferrous Studios in Richmond, were installed: irresistible!

And finally, on Friday, Aug. 10, came the big reveal. Promptly at 5 a.m., while it was still dark, an 18-wheel truck from Arrow Sign Company – an Oakland institution since 1952 – rolled up Grand Avenue to Bellevue. On its bed were seven 19-foot steel poles bearing the nine letters of FAIRYLAND.

5:45 a.m. August 10: The installation begins

Work began immediately, under the supervision of our facility manager, Nick Mitchell. Joggers and commuters looked on with curiosity. A reporter from KCBS did an interview.

By the time we opened our fairy gates at 10, the sign was taking shape. And by the end of the day it was standing tall.

The enthusiastic comments began rolling in on social media: “Holy fairy dust!!! Would you look at that?” “Terrific signage.” “Very nice and whimsical!” “You’re making Oakland proud.” The San Francisco Chronicle said our “fancy new sign” “lets the world know exactly where Children’s Fairyland is located.”

C.J. and Fairyland facility manager Nick Mitchell test the new LED lights

We’ll be extending an official thank-you to the City of Oakland and everyone else involved in this epic project at a ribbon-cutting ceremony (details to be announced). In the meantime, our thanks to everyone who’s waited so patiently. Welcome to Fairyland!

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C.J. Hirschfield has served for 16 years as executive director of Children’s Fairyland, where she is charged with the overall operation of the nation’s oldest storybook theme park.