“You’ll be painting and then a little horse is just trotting by you.”
Children's Fairyland director of art and restoration Shannon Taylor carries some canisters of molding clay in the art department's workspace in Oakland, Calif., on June 8, 2022. There, she helps restore and keep the theme park's rides and attractions in tip-top shape.In all my years as a journalist, I never imagined that my serious, on-the-ground reporting would ever be interrupted by a tiny, pastel-green locomotive called the Jolly Trolly.
One of the oldest theme parks in America, Oakland’s Fairyland reportedly influenced some of the biggest theme park franchises we know today. Walt Disney visited it shortly after it opened in 1950, allegedly inspiring his “Taylor and Bird, covered head to toe in splattered red, white and orange paint, met me outside theto give me a tour of the park. The duo agreed it’s a rewarding and therapeutic occupation — and they could never succumb to a traditional 9-5 because of it.
“There’s a surprise around every corner, which is especially true if you’re trying to put a ladder anywhere,” adds Taylor. She’s not just referring to the slanted, dreamlike architecture though: She says the park is dominated by “miniatures” — miniature ponies, miniature donkeys, dwarf goats, babydoll sheep, chickens and ducks. And when the park closes, they get to wander around and stretch their legs, making the job all the more whimsical.