Owed to Volunteers!

By C.J. Hirschfield

Finding caterpillar eggs. Helping kids make fairy houses. Handing out treats on Halloween. Making popcorn for a family sleepover. Pulling weeds. Leading a Toddler Storytime.

These are just a handful of the many volunteer opportunities that Fairyland offers.

As we enter the new year, I want to take a moment to thank the 540 awesome Fairyland volunteers who contributed a total of 3,700 service hours in 2018. I’d like to reflect on the amazing work they helped us accomplish — without them, we simply would not have been able to serve as many happy kids as we did.

26 volunteers recently helped us take down our Fairy Winterland lights. This helper came to us from One Brick.

Who are these fairy godparents? A snapshot:

4 volunteers contributed more than 85 hours each
7 new inspiring Toddler Storytime readers were trained
10 Monarch Magicians saved more than 500 monarch butterflies
 

An Ice Rink Glides into Old Oakland

By C.J. Hirschfield

Last Friday I witnessed something in Old Oakland that I'd never seen in our city: dozens of kids, teens, and adults gliding, laughing, and occasionally stumbling around an outdoor ice rink.

Magic? No – just the latest creative idea born of creativity and civic determination. It was the grand opening of the Old Oakland Holiday Ice Rink – Oakland’s first outdoor ice rink in 63 years – in a space formerly occupied by a parking lot.

Skating in the Old Oakland Holiday Ice Rink. Photo: Visit Oakland

Giving That Feels Good

By C.J. Hirschfield

This is a special time of year at Children’s Fairyland. While Fairyland rings with the laughter of children and families on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, we have the rest of the week to tend to our facility’s needs, to reflect on what we were able to accomplish this past year, and to plan for the next.

Last year we learned that families living in temporary housing often find themselves without shelter for part of the day. Knowing how difficult that must be, we launched a new program, in partnership with First 5 Alameda County and Lyft, to become a haven for families waiting for shelter space during their transition. Using Lyft’s concierge service, we arrange for round-trip transportation from the shelter to Fairyland and welcome the families with admission passes and vouchers for lunch from our Johnny Appleseed Café.

Child's Play

By C.J. Hirschfield

With recent reports of unhealthy air keeping our youngest kids indoors – and parents looking for ways to keep them entertained – it was interesting to learn about the three toys just inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame, two of which are played at home: the mystical and mesmerizing Magic 8 Ball and the popular Uno card game. (The third “toy” is pinball.) Honorees were chosen from a field of finalists that included a wide range of candidates, from American Girl Dolls to chalk.

The most recent inductees in the National Toy Hal of Fame

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.

Tagging Fairyland's Monarchs

By C.J. Hirschfield

Last week, Fairyland horticulturist Jackie Salas realized a dream she’d doggedly been pursuing for four years: the right to put a tag on the wing of a monarch butterfly that hails from Fairyland’s gardens. What may result from her quest could make a difference for our planet.

The Garden as Inspiration

Children’s Fairyland was proud to once again participate in this year’s Autumn Lights Festival at the Gardens at Lake Merritt across the street – we think it was the best ever! We wanted to share a column written by Tora Rocha, the festival’s overall director and the woman who inspired and continues to oversee this incredible fundraiser for the Gardens. We also wanted to let folks know about the generous support provided by Niantic, the San Francisco–based software company best known for developing the augmented-reality mobile games Ingress, Pokémon GO, and the upcoming Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. 

The Friends of the Gardens at Lake Merritt is a nonprofit organization set up to maintain and support the Gardens at Lake Merritt, and the Autumn Lights Festival helps raise funds for the ongoing support of the Gardens. 
– C.J. Hirschfield, executive director, Children’s Fairyland

By Tora Rocha 

For the past seven years we’ve hosted the Autumn Lights Festival at the Gardens at Lake Merritt in Oakland. The purpose is to showcase the amazing array of light artists in the Bay Area, as well as to raise funds for the ongoing maintenance and beautification of the Gardens themselves. As the City of Oakland’s park supervisor of the Gardens at Lake Merritt, I had decided I needed to find a way to raise money and awareness of the Gardens, since it was a little-known secret in the community. I came up with the idea of a nighttime event to light up the Gardens with local artists. 

Tora Rocha at the 2018 Autumn Lights Festival. Photo by John Kirkmire

In the years that we’ve hosted the Autumn Lights Festival, we have met more and more amazing community members who see the Gardens in a new light.

Días de los Muertos at Fairyland

By C.J. Hirschfield

Halloween is more than just one night at the nation’s theme and amusement parks: it’s an entire season. Starting even before Labor Day in some places, Halloween festivities – including special experiences that usually require separate admission – allow parks to extend their typical summer season and to keep earning money well into the fall. As a result, Halloween is now huge business at parks.

At Fairyland? Well, we offer Jack o’Lantern Jamboree the weekend before Halloween – October 27 and 28 this year. No extra charge, half off for members, with tons of treat giveaways and special events. We also “theme out” parts of the park with special designs.

Last year, for the first time, we created a Días de los Muertos environment in our Alice in Wonderland Tunnel. It worked so well for us that Fairyland’s director of art and restoration, Shannon Taylor, is bringing it back this year.

The White Rabbit in front of the Alice in Wonderland Tunnel wearing a Dias de los Muertos mask

A Gift Registry for Fairyland's Animals

By C.J. Hirschfield

Ever since we opened in 1950, animals have been an important part of Children’s Fairyland. Back in the day, we had alligators, monkeys, cows, pigs, peacocks, parrots, and sea lions. Now we have 18 animals, none of them carnivores: donkeys, sheep, dwarf goats, mini horses, chickens, ducks, rabbits, guinea pigs and a bearded dragon. They delight our regular guests as well as our field trip and summer camp kids. We even have a junior animal caretaker program that teaches foster kids to care for our gentle animals.

Today a special delivery arrived for the animal department: the very first items ordered from our new Amazon animal gift registry. We giddily opened the box containing one “Knotty Girlz Premium 9/16" braid polyester horse lead rope natural horsemanship w/loop” ($28.95, rainbow color) and one “Safari Soft Slicker Brush w/ Stainless Steel Pins ($7.88).”

Animal manager Melissa Tauber in her office with donated gift-registry items

Save That Monster!

By C.J. Hirschfield

When William Penn Mott Jr. was head of Oakland’s Parks Department in the 1950s, he got things done. Crazy, cool things. Like helping create Children’s Fairyland. And like commissioning a well-known jeweler to design a wildly modernist play structure on the beach in Lakeside Park.

Fairyland has been revived and now thrives. The sculpture? After years of being in a sad state of disrepair, help seems to be on the way, as a group of committed community members works toward making the “Mid-Century Monster” once again a delightful play experience.

Sly, the Family Stone, and the Mid-Century Monster (1968)

Rats!

By C.J. Hirschfield

Quinn Costello’s new documentary film has it all: food, fashion, music and joy. The fact that its subject is 30-pound rodents that are taking over Louisiana – and encroaching on California – just makes it that much more interesting.

Rodents of Unusual Size will have its East Bay premiere on Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. at the New Parkway Theater. As soon as I heard about it, I marked my calendar.

Poster for "Rodents of Unusual Size"

Illustrating Community: Drawn Together at Fairyland

By C.J. Hirschfield

Here at Fairyland, we love it when our various worlds collide. Or overlap. Or meld.

At our popular Turn the Page! children’s book festival, held in May, we got to know some fantastically talented artists and illustrators. Now six of them -- Wednesday Kirwan, Elisa Kleven, Michael Slack, Simone Shin, Emily Dove and Michael Wertz – will be joining us on Friday, Sept. 28, for our annual Drawn Together arts event, a grownups-only, after-hours celebration of local art and artists.

Math and Science ... at Fairyland!

By C.J. Hirschfield

This Friday, Children’s Fairyland will partner with local businesses to promote STEM learning (science, technology, engineering and math) to our community’s youngest kids: the pre-K crowd.

No, we won’t be waving math flashcards or displaying charts of the periodic table. Because this is Fairyland, and we’re all about fun, we’ll be doing things a little differently. 

On the Freeway of Love

By C.J. Hirschfield

You’ve probably heard this inspirational quote: Life is measured not by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

I recently had a moment that took my breath away, and I wanted to share the experience with you.

A 'Kindred Spirit' Comes to Fairyland's Puppet Fair

By C.J. Hirschfield

The Storybook Puppet Theater at Children’s Fairyland, which raised its curtain in 1956, is the longest continuously operating puppet theater in America. But the Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Los Angeles has been around nearly as long: since 1963. We are both revered institutions in our respective cities. And now, Fairyland is proud to welcome a representative of the Bob Baker Marionettes to our annual Puppet Fair on August 25 and 26.

Bob Baker (1924–2014) began training at age 8 with several puppet companies before he gave his first professional performance. In high school, he began manufacturing marionettes, which he sold in the U.S. and Europe. By the time he was an adult, his puppetry was featured in many TV series and in films such as Disney’s Bedknobs and Broomsticks and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. He also provided a place of learning for puppeteers, including Fairyland’s own master puppeteer Randal Metz, who studied with him for three years in the 1980s.

Bob Baker (left) with partner Alton Wood and "birthday dog" puppets. Via Bob Baker Marionette Theater

The Bob Baker Marionette Theater is experiencing an exciting transition: it is now a nonprofit organization that will ensure the enduring legacy of its founder. The organization's new executive director is Alex Evans, who worked closely with Bob Baker for almost 10 years.

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.

Scooter Madness

By C.J. Hirschfield

The good news at Lake Merritt: hundreds of young crabs and an increased number of topsmelt fish, striped bass and bat rays have been sighted recently, and a newly repaired aeration unit near the pergola has resulted in a sweeter-smelling environment. “It’s all an indication that the water is doing fairly well,” says Lake Merritt Institute executive director James Robinson.

The not-so-good news: twenty or so electric Lime rental scooters have been fished out of the lake by James and his intrepid volunteer crew over the last few months.

Scooter in Lake Merritt.

Making a MegaMatterhorn

By C.J. Hirschfield

Once upon a time—2006, to be exact—a wonderful artist named Mary Anne Kluth came to work at Children’s Fairyland as our set-restoration painter. (We always have a whimsical set that needs love, attention and brightening.) Who knew that someday Mary Anne would go on to create wildly fantastic and compelling “theme park collages”—and that her new MegaMatterhorn would be featured in our own Oakland Museum of California for a two-year exhibition? We couldn’t be more excited.

The MegaMatterhorn exhibit at the Oakland Museum of California. Photo: Mary Anne Kluth.

I recently asked Mary Anne whether her experience at Fairyland influenced her whole body of work. I was pleased by her answer: “That’s fair to say.”

"Circus Caps for Sale": The Sweetest Show in Town!

By C.J. Hirschfield

The delightful Circus Center is a San Francisco institution, bringing circus arts to our community so that everyone, great and small, can experience the innovation, creativity and wonder of circus. So step right up, ladies and gentlemen, because for the very first time, Children’s Fairyland is partnering with the Center to present “Circus Caps for Sale” under our very own Oakland big top.

And judging by the squeals of dozens of happy children who attended the first performance on the morning of July 7, we’re pretty sure we have a hit on our hands.

Our production of “Circus Caps,” based on the classic children’s books by Esphyr Slobodkina, features not only an array of accomplished performers but also the stage debut of Fairyland’s mini-horse, Pixie.

Fairyland's mini-horse, Pixie, takes a turn in the ring with trainer Corinna Rezzelle.

Weddings ... at Fairyland?

By C.J. Hirschfield

When you think of events at Children’s Fairyland, kids’ birthday parties come immediately to mind.

But weddings?

Yes, indeed. We have eight booked for this season alone. And why not? We are part of the memories of countless kids who are now millennials, the generation born between 1981 and 1997 who now make up 25 percent of the U.S. population. And data show that 50 percent of millennials are more willing to make a purchase from a company if it supports a cause—and our nonprofit park, which has been serving our community’s kids for nearly 68 years is clearly a cause near and dear to the hearts of young people ready to partner up.

Wedding vows in Aesop's Playhouse

The Highs and Lows of Puppet Shows

By C.J. Hirschfield

Our puppet-theater director, Randal Metz, is also a respected historian of puppets and puppetry. Recently, while researching the history of puppeteers in California, he came across an article in the Puppetry Journal – the quarterly magazine of the Puppeteers of America – that caught his eye. It wasn’t about puppets or puppeteers: It was about shoes. And not just any shoes: the special footwear used by some height-challenged puppeteers to make them tall enough to do their job.

Puppeteers' shoes suggested by Nick LeFeuvre, via the Puppetry Journal

Fairyland's Munchkins

By C.J. Hirschfield

Last month, the last remaining Munchkin – of the more than 100 little people who performed in the classic 1939 film The Wizard of Oz – died.

He was Jerry Maren, the leader of the Lollipop Guild, and he was 98.

Most of the Munchkins, who sang “We’re Off to See the Wizard” and “Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead,” went on to lead non-Hollywood lives. Maren, however, spent his life as a performer – in television, in movies and even as an Oscar Meyer spokesman in the 1950s.

You may not know that another Munchkin from the Oz movie — Victor Wetter – was, with his wife Edna, Children’s Fairyland’s very first “Ambassadors of Goodwill.” In that role they gave tours to thousands of delighted youngsters during Fairyland’s first two years of operation, 1950 to 1952. They ultimately left the park amid a political controversy that was taken all the way to the mayor’s office.

From Cut Paper to Fairyland Stage

By C.J. Hirschfield

So many classic, best-selling children’s books are illustrated with collage that you may assume the technique – sticking various materials such as photographs and pieces of paper or fabric onto a backing – has always been associated with children’s literature. What would The Hungry Caterpillar (Eric Carle), Tar Beach (Faith Ringgold), Swimmy (Leo Lionni) and The Snowy Day (Ezra Jack Keats) be without their playful and vibrant collage illustrations?

In fact, though, the first American children’s book illustrated with collage, Caps for Sale, wasn’t published until 1940. The story of its author/illustrator, Esphyr Slobodkina, itself reads like a novel – and a version of the book is now being adapted into a magical, musical production exclusively for Children’s Fairyland. “Circus Caps for Sale,” our co-production with the talented folks at San Francisco’s Circus Center, opens in our Aesop’s Playhouse on July 7 and continues on weekends through July 29.

Succeeding Beyond Emancipation: Reuel Mack's Story

By C.J. Hirschfield

Five years ago, I wrote a column about an extraordinary young woman, Reuel Mack, who’d been referred to Fairyland from an organization called Beyond Emancipation, which is Alameda County’s primary provider of services for former foster youth. Reuel had been in the foster system, in many different homes, for most of her life. As a child, she never knew her biological mother. Her father was in jail. She eventually learned she has 11 siblings.

Today I’m proud to share with you a very happy update to Reuel’s story – a story that Reuel herself will tell the guests at our 23^rd annual gala fundraiser on Wednesday, May 30.

When Muppets Come to Call

By C.J. Hirschfield

Children’s Fairyland boasts the longest-running puppet theater in America. Founded in 1956, it still presents three shows a day, every day we’re open.

The Storybook Puppet Theater is such a fixture in our park that we tend to take it for granted. Occasionally, though, we’ll be reminded that it has started the careers of some of the country’s greatest puppeteers, and continues to inspire those who perform one of the most ancient forms of artistic expression.

Fairyland's Storybook Puppet Theater.

After 28 Years, Author Mac Barnett Returns to Fairyland

By C.J. Hirschfield

“He is a believer that picture books can have Swiftian absurdity and untidy endings, and that ‘life is absurd, and kids know that.’”
— San Francisco Chronicle

Before he was a New York Times bestselling author, before more than 1 million copies of his books were sold in the U.S. and translated into more than 30 languages, and before his two Caldecott Honor–winning books, there was … Fairyland.

Young Mac Barnett as Peter Pan with Captain Hook (Edward Hightower) and Major Catastrophe (Carol Becksted)

Yes, Mac Barnett, the renowned author of 15 children’s books, was a Fairyland Personality when he was a youth. We’re delighted that he will join us for our Turn the Page! children’s book festival on May 19. And we like to think that the imaginary world he inhaled at our special park inspired his later fiction.

Hurray for Kid Authors!

By C.J. Hirschfield

“I glow as the night begins to fall.”  -- “From Dark to Light,” by Isabella, age 12

Once upon a time—well, three years ago—Fairyland premiered Turn the Page!, our children’s authors and illustrators book festival. It proved to be a hit, drawing over a thousand people who enjoyed interacting with more than 25 talented bookmakers who did read-alouds and demonstrations and talked about their craft with kids and parents.

A young book-lover considers the selection of books from Laurel Book Store at the 2017 Turn the Page!

For this year’s event – to be held Saturday, May 19, from 10 to 4 – we’ve decided to try something new that we’re very excited about.

The Little Engine That Did

By C.J. Hirschfield

Last week, Fairyland welcomed more than a thousand guests to our first Port Day, in partnership with the good folks who operate Oakland’s popular air- and seaports. Together with its business partners, the Port of Oakland supports more than 73,000 jobs in the region, and getting kids – even little ones – excited about STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) may ignite an interest that could lead to a career in the sciences … and perhaps at the Port.

Many wonderful hands-on activities and giveaways were on the schedule, but the big draw was the Port’s mini container crane that could be operated by the kids. The crane had not been out in the community for a number of years, so we were over-the-top excited.

But just half an hour before we were to open our fairy gates, disaster struck.

You see, although the crane is mini when compared to its huge working counterparts, it is nonetheless 12 feet tall and weighs in at about a thousand pounds. When it was pulled into our grassy meadow area, its trailer sank into the rain-soaked earth and couldn’t be extracted.

The Port of Oakland's mini crane.

Lost and Found on Head Start Day

By C.J. Hirschfield

Editor’s note: On April 20, Children’s Fairyland will host Head Start Day for Oakland Head Start children and their families. We’re grateful for support from Rogers Family Foundation, City of Oakland Head Start and – for chartered bus transportation – the Quest Foundation. To give you an idea of what Head Start Day is like, we’re republishing this column from 2011.

Last Friday we welcomed more than 2,000 Head Start kids and their family members. We were part of their Week of the Young Child Traffic, Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Fair in Oakland.

And what a day it was.

When we saw the line stretching for blocks just before opening time, we knew that, contrary to our predictions, everyone was going to arrive at once. But Team Fairyland was ready.

The Port Comes to Fairyland

By C.J. Hirschfield

Although Star Wars creator George Lucas has denied it, we Oaklanders still like to believe that the AT-AT Snow Walkers from “The Empire Strikes Back” were either consciously or unconsciously influenced by our port’s massive cranes, which are used to move huge containers from ships onto waiting trucks and back again.

Full-size Port of Oakland crane.

Movie connection or no, Oakland’s cranes are undeniably super-cool. And soon Children’s Fairyland will offer kids the opportunity to operate a smaller version of them. It’s something we’ve wanted to do for years.

The Very Best Medicine

By C.J. Hirschfield

What does Doyle Ott, the director of our renowned Children’s Theatre program, do when the program takes a break from summer-season rehearsals? He goes to Vienna, Austria. Not for the Alps or the waltzing, though: He’s on his way to the international Healthcare Clowning Conference.

Doyle has a Ph.D. in Theatre for Youth from Arizona State University and a certificate from the Clown Conservatory. He has trained at Circus Center and has worked with Splash Circus in Emeryville. He used to commute to work on a unicycle.

Doyle Ott in clown costume.

And he has been a member of the local Medical Clown Project for two years, visiting hospitals and shelters to bring “joy and agency” to kids and adults alike.

Recycling Urban Trees

Note: We’re recycling a post that was originally published in April 2010. And we have an update: In October of this year, more than 100 members of West Coast Arborists will return to Fairyland for our third annual Arbor Camp and Work Day. The bulk of the work will take place Saturday, Oct. 13, when six ailing trees will be removed and undergrowth along our fence line will be cleared. In conjunction with this work, we’ll be scheduling a variety of related activities for our guests. Stay tuned!

By C.J. Hirschfield

For more than a decade, three huge redwood logs languished at the back of Fairyland’s meadow and picnic area. I have no idea when the tree was felled, but we had tried over the years to have someone haul the “waste” away and put the wood to good use, but to no avail. Too expensive.

So it was with a huge amount of joy that I watched last weekend as professional arborists from all over the great state of California turned those logs—right in front of the eyes of a thousand kids—into boards to be transformed by those same kids into hundreds of birdhouses that they could take back to their homes.

Arborist at work.

Poop: Gateway to a World of Science

By C.J. Hirschfield

You know what they say about business success: “Always listen to your customers.”

At Children’s Fairyland, we’re always listening. And what do we hear our customers talking about? Poop.

"Everyone Poops," a favorite in Fairyland's Reading Room.