The Night of the Magical Popcorn

By C.J. Hirschfield

Fairyland’s final sleepover of the summer season on Aug. 19 was a sell-out. By sunset, 164 happy guests had arrived, set up their tents in our meadow, and prepared for an evening of family fun. Dinner was served, the rides were all operating, and my team was setting up for the 8 p.m. puppet show and 9 p.m. live performance. Our volunteers had rolled out the popcorn machine and were preparing to make popcorn for the shows. All was going well.

And then, the unthinkable: The popcorn machine failed. No popping kernels. No irresistible aroma of freshly popped corn.

Imagine it: You’re responsible for 164 guests who expected to be treated to one of life’s great pleasures – enjoying popcorn during a show. We’d made a promise, and it looked like we wouldn’t be able to keep it.

But this is Fairyland, after all. Magic happens here on a regular basis, and magic is what occurred that night.

Spicy, Sweet, Creamy, Crispy

By C.J. Hirschfield

Last week, two of Fairyland’s finest attended the 42^nd Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. Featuring 1,400 exhibitors from around the world and “80,000 exciting specialty foods and beverages,” the event was not for the faint of heart – or stomach, for that matter, since samples are the name of the game.

One aisle in one of the halls at the Fancy Food show in Moscone Center.