Smoked Out

By C.J. Hirschfield

In my wildest dreams, I never thought we’d have to close Children’s Fairyland due to unhealthy air. You probably have discovered the website that rates the air with a number and a color. Did we even know that such a site existed? Now, in addition to constantly checking the weather reports, we at Fairyland check the air quality reports.

Aerial view of smoke-shrouded Lake Merritt, November 11, 2018. Photo by Chris Linden

We thought last year’s fires and the accompanying smoke were anomalies. Not so much, it turns out. Our outdoor park has had to close the last two weekends in the interest of public safety. While we’ve been closed, we hope families have taken advantage of the Habitot indoor play zone in Berkeley, of board games, of Oobleck (look it up; it’s a lifesaver), and, of course, of storytelling. Don’t be shy about injecting songs, dance and wacky voices in your readings to children.

We hope our guests will return on the three days following Thanksgiving.

Only a couple of people have given us a hard time about being closed; the rest understand that bad air is particularly harmful to the littlest kids, the very ones Fairyland serves.

We thought you might want to know how we who work at Fairyland have been affected by the poor air quality.

First, you should know that Team Fairyland hates being closed to the public even more than the public does. We love what we do – celebrate families and inspire imaginations – and anything that prevents us from doing that is frustrating to us.

And we’ve all been concerned about our park’s animals.

Good news: They’re doing fine, says Melissa Tauber, our animal caretaker. For days, she has created a kind of Noah’s Ark in her tiny office, so that the smaller animals get a break from the outside air. Chickens, ducks, guinea pigs and rabbits are living in relative peace and harmony for the time being. Our horses, sheep, goats and donkeys are a bit lethargic, but otherwise doing well.

A sign in our animal department

Members of Team Fairyland have family members who have lost their homes. Some of our staff members suffer from asthma; others have small kids of their own who are going stir-crazy. We have provided masks for staff members and are encouraging them to go home if they feel the need.

Yes, the closures will negatively affect our bottom line.

But in the midst of our face-masked madness we have some good news to share. As you may know, Fairyland is a member of Oakland’s Pollinator Posse, working to support and expand the declining monarch butterfly population.

Monarch caterpillars

Apparently the smoke hasn’t discouraged monarchs from breeding. Just the opposite, in fact! Fairyland’s horticulturist Jackie Salas was surprised as heck to discover 312 eggs laid in the park “that we’re now responsible for,” she says. Thankfully, we have enough milkweed to keep them fed, and in about two weeks, our Noah’s Ark set will be their home as they transform into fire-colored butterflies.

Please know how happy we will be to welcome you back to see them, and to make some great holiday memories as well.

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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.