No matter how mature you are now, if you grew up in Fresno chances are you have a soft spot in your heart for Storyland.
Built seven years after amusement park Playland, Storyland has been a magical FresYes destination since the 1960s. Remember the magic keys? The castle that made a drive down the 99 more thrilling?
Of course, some things have changed since its opening (personally, I still miss the giant Jack and the Beanstalk metal slide), but thanks to a lot of hard work, dedication, and community love, Storyland is looking fabulous and better than ever nowadays.
If you’re new in town or didn’t grow up here, you might not know what Storyland is all about. Located in Roeding Park across from the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, Storyland is a storybook-themed park where you can visit the three little pigs, Hansel and Gretel, and more of those characters you read about as a kid.
The displays are original to the park and a plastic “magic” key allows you to hear the nursery rhymes and stories as you visit. After years of falling into disrepair, the park had to shut down for awhile, but it has been renovated, reopening in September of 2015 after repairs and repainting took place.
How you can help Storyland while eating some tri-tip
Since it’s a local treasure that has delighted generations of Valley children, it’s easy to make the case that our community should step up once in awhile and help support the upkeep of Storyland. And in these parts, it’s always more fun to support something when there’s tri-tip involved, right?
So here’s the deal: this weekend is the annual fundraiser for Storyland. Thanks to the Fresno Police Officer’s Association, there will be tri-tip on hand, so here’s your tasty opportunity to keep Storyland looking spry while enjoying a good meal. Of course, there’s more than just meat involved.
Tickets to the Happily Ever After Party are $35 and include the above-mentioned meal, live music from Boxcar Figaro, and a DJ in the carousel over in Playland. If you’ve always wanted to ride the Willis B. Kyle Express, this is your chance, because train rides and magic keys are included.
This is your opportunity to revisit childhood memories, or make new ones with your own children or grandchildren, all while supporting Fresno’s fairytale park.
Event Details
Happily Ever After Party
Saturday, Oct. 7
6 -9 p.m.
The event Facebook page is here. Tickets are available here and cost $35 for children and adults. Happily, 100% of the proceeds go to Storyland park improvements.
For upcoming events, check out the Storyland and Playland website here or follow them on Facebook here.
Have you been? What’s your favorite memory of Storyland?
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