2023 Fairyland for Grownups
Get your posse together because general admission tickets for the 11th annual #Fairyland4Grownups will go on sale at noon on Wednesday, June 28th! This year's benefit will take place on Friday, July 28th from 7-10pm at Children's Fairyland!
Link to Purchase Tickets: http://oaklandish.me/f4gutix2023
During the day, adults who want to go to Children’s Fairyland must bring a kid (and vice versa). But on Friday, July 28th, that rule doesn’t apply. On that night, Oaklandish and Fairyland are hosting a night of pure imagination — for grownups only!
Come and dance in Old West Junction! Enjoy local brews, puppet shows, live art, turf dancing, and musical performances! Two drink tickets are included with your admission, 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 outreach, including hands-on science classes and free field trips and family memberships for children from underserved communities.
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, July 28th, #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, July 28th, from 7 to 10 p.m. Look for the Big Shoe at 699 Bellevue Avenue in Oakland on the shoes 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. No 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 6:30 p.m. so that we can open the Fairy Gates right at 7 p.m. 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? There will be a giant dance party over in the Old West Junction, presided over by DJ Styles. There will also be a live musical performance from Oakland-based cover band, The Prototype, puppet shows, and other surprise attractions around the park. We’ll have beer and wine (two drink limit, included in the ticket price), and a bunch of Oakland’s finest food vendors will be slinging snacks on the grass! 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? Halal Bites of Chicago, Bloko Vegan , Mai Garlic Noodles, Macando & Black Oak Hotdogs.
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. They will be available online on Wednesday, June 28th. No tickets will be available at the gate.
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, a renowned Children’s Theatre program, 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 ‘Happy Yellow’ 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.