Fairyland for Grownups
Get your posse together because general admission tickets for the 12th annual #Fairyland4Grownups will go on sale at noon on Wednesday, July 17th! This year's benefit will take place on Friday, August 16th from 6-10 p.m. at Children's Fairyland! Yes, you read that right—Fairyland for Grownups will now be four hours instead of three!
During the day, adults who want to go to Children’s Fairyland must bring a kid (and vice versa). But on Friday, August 16th, that rule does not apply. On that night, Oaklandish and Fairyland are hosting a night of pure imagination—for grownups only!
Come and dance in the Merry meadow! Enjoy local brews, puppet shows, live art, turf dancing, and musical performances! Two drink tickets are included with your admission, and food will be available for purchase.
Please note: This benefit event is 21+ and you will need to show valid ID at the gate.
Here are video recaps from 2022, 2016, 2013, and 2012!
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Children’s Fairyland in Oakland—the nation’s very first storybook theme park—is famous as a family attraction and for its community outreach, including scholarships for free or reduced-price Summer Day Camp, a free writing workshop for aspiring young authors, free field trips, and Fairyland for All that offers low-income families reduced-price admission and an easy pathway to membership.
And yet for many Oaklanders, Fairyland is shrouded in mystery. Most of the time, Fairyland is off-limits to adults unless they’re accompanying a kid. But on Friday, August 16th, #Fairyland4GrownUps will give adults (only) a chance to experience this Oakland icon, for a night of pure imagination!
Please note: This benefit event is 21+ and you will need to show valid ID at the gate.
You’ve probably got questions. We have answers!
When and where is this happening? Fairyland’s Fairy Gates will be wide open to grownups on Friday, August 16th, from 6 to 10 p.m. Look for the Big Shoe at 699 Bellevue Avenue in Oakland on the shores of Lake Merritt. Visit the Fairyland website for directions and parking info: fairyland.org/visit-us/directions
NO REFUNDS OR CANCELLATIONS. TICKETS ONCE PURCHASED ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.
All tickets are available for purchase online pre-event only. It is unlikely that walk-up sales will be available. Each online purchase has a unique QR code that will be issued to the purchaser in a confirmation email. The purchaser is responsible for their group of tickets and will need to show a valid picture ID that matches the ticket purchasers name. Each group of tickets must enter together with the purchaser. No tickets will be held at the entrance for late comers. The purchaser will not share their QR code, if shared you violate the terms of purchase.
We will start pre-screening folks at 5:30 p.m. so that we can open the Fairy Gates right at 6 pm for the full experience. Please have your ID and confirmation email/QR Code (all QR codes are individual and cannot be shared) ready at pre-screen so we can keep things speedy! There will be a bag check and no glass containers or beverages of any kind are permitted. Leave unnecessary bags and bulky items at home!
Parking is first come, first available. Parking on Bellevue Avenue for $5 a vehicle. Rideshares like Uber or Lyft can drop-off at the BIG Fairyland sign on the corner of Grand and Bellevue.
What’s actually happening at the party? The dance party will move from Old West Junction to the Merry meadow this year, presided over by DJ Dion Decibels. There will also be a live musical performance from local band, The Prototype, puppet shows, and other surprise attractions around the park. We’ll have beer, wine, and cocktails, and a bunch of Oakland’s finest food vendors will be slinging snacks! The best part: you’ll be allowed to explore the entire park, from the Jolly Roger pirate ship to Alice in Wonderland card maze. The rides won’t be operating, though, because rides and adult bevvies don’t mix. (Caution: Grownups are too big to climb to the top of the pirate ship or slide down the Dragon Slide).
Which local food and drink vendors should I expect to see there? We will announce soon!
How much do tickets cost? Tickets are $35 each ($30 for Children's Fairyland members) and available only to adults 21+. Each ticket includes two drinks. Additional drink tickets will be available for purchase.
Ticket proceeds benefit Children’s Fairyland, helping keep admission fees low (or even free) for local kids. Fairyland has lots of amazing outreach programs: summer camp scholarships, free field trips for low-income kids, Fairyland for All program that helps underserved families get their first membership, and more. This party will help keep those programs running, so thanks for your support!
Do I need to bring anything? All you REALLY need to bring is your confirmation email/QR code (again, all QR codes are individual and cannot be shared) and ID, but we’d recommend carrying some extra cash for food and souvenirs! To activate the many Talking Storybook Boxes, be sure to buy a limited-edition ‘Emerald City Green’ Magic Key from one of the roving fairies. And since this is a kiddie park, please don’t bring anything you wouldn’t want a toddler picking up off the ground in the morning (for instance, cigarette butts, glass bottles, etc.).
I bought a ticket, and now I can’t go to the party. Can I give my spot to a friend? Sure! If you want to give your ticket to someone else, no problem. The confirmation email/QR code (all QR codes are individual and cannot be shared) and proof that the ticket-bearer is over 21 are all that is needed for entry.
Do I need to wear a costume? Not at all. Fairyland accepts all dreamers, regardless of their attire. Lots of people do wear costumes, though. And come on… you know you’ll probably have more fun in a tutu.
