Sacramento’s Fairytale Town raises nearly $40K and it’s expanding. Here’s what to know

A recent online auction for the storybook-themed park Fairytale Town in Sacramento raised more than $37,000 that will go toward supporting the amusement’s operations and programs.

The park’s auction, which began March 18 and ended this Sunday, exceeded its fundraising goal by more than $2,000 this year. The fundraiser event began in 2021 in response to financial struggles caused by the pandemic.

Kevin Smith-Fagan, Fairytale Town’s executive director, said these funds help bring the park’s mission of imaginative thinking for kids to life.

“The goal of Fairytale Town is to bring joy to children and spark their creativity, and the funding from the online auction sustains our viability to do those things,” Smith-Fagan explained.

The park director said he was “thrilled” by the amount of money raised from the auction this year and the support received from the Sacramento community. This year’s auction sold experiences specific to Fairytale including an overnight group camp-out and a private evening at the park.

“It is a strong signal how much our community values Fairytale Town and the experiences that kids enjoy here,” he said.

What is Fairytale town?

The kid-friendly park, which first opened its doors in 1959, is known for its unique playground equipment based on children’s storybooks, featuring attractions like Humpty Dumpty Bridge and Old Woman in the Shoe slide.

Fairytale Town, at 3901 Land Park Drive, is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., weather permitting.

Is the park expanding?

The park has plans to expand by way of a $1.8 million grant allocated by the state, and city council members approved the half-acre expansion project at their meeting last week.

Plans for expansion so far include a story center and an outdoor classroom designed to accommodate students on school field trips. Both are slated to open by the end of this year, Smith-Fagan said.

The purpose of the new indoor story center, which has been under construction since October, is for kids to create their own stories through writing, illustrating and even acting.

“The activities in the story center are going to help countless children become successful problem solvers later in life,” Smith-Fagan said.

The park also plans on adding a new welcome center building in the future, but currently does not have the funding for it.

This story was originally published March 29, 2022 at 11:53 AM.