Most visitors to Children’s Fairyland on Lake Merritt leave the park while the sun is still high, racing back to make it home for nap time. However, the park has a secret: groups of adults can rent it out for an event under the stars — Fairyland by Night.
And this is just what PHS Class of 1994 reunion organizers, Etienne Fang and Ben Fendel, did for our 30th reunion on Saturday, July 20th. It was a night of magic, memories, and reconnection for just under sixty members of the class. Erika Mitchell, who came from Los Angeles to the event, said: “Just the idea of Fairyland for us was great fun! As a nostalgic place from our childhood, nothing felt more right!”
After stopping at the Old Woman’s Shoe (or boot) at the entrance to snap a quick photo and checking our names off with a staff member, we made our way to the giant Pumpkin, where current PHS students Xia Snyder, Carmen Botero, and Kate Tong, Class of ‘27, handed out name tags with emblazoned with our Senior Class photos. Let the nostalgia begin.
Fang and Fendel made sure all attendees had something to do. The evening began with a round of Piedmont High trivia (who remembers the mailing address of PHS?). “Guess the Graduate” Bingo cards could be worked on throughout the evening, providing us a fun way to reconnect with folks not seen since third period Biology. Even the beloved Fairyland Jolly Trolly ran, allowing us the opportunity to squish our adult-sized bodies into tiny cars and see Fairyland from the train’s perspective.
The bar, serving non-alcoholic drinks, wine, beer, and even a signature purple Piedmont cocktail, was tended by generous Class of 1995 members: Carys Steers, Ellen (Klemmer) Murff, and Kim (Lombardi) Becker. Many thanks to the parents of class member Ryan Wulff, Kris and Randy Wulff of Lobo Wine, for providing the wine for the event, and to classmate Michael Morris, who also helped provide spirits for the evening. The buffet-style was catered by Oakland restaurant Dona. We were even able to take group photos in our elementary school cohorts, getting our respective love on for Beach, Havens, and Wildwood for the first time in several decades.
Beach School (L-R) – Front row: Micah Jordano, Liz (Tuuri) Mosbaugh, Etienne Fang; Middle row: Laurel Clausen, Ben Fendel, Michelle (Hill) Maughan, Erika Mitchell; Back row: Robert Graff, Dylan Kersh, Mickey Lawler 
Wildwood School (L-R) – Front row: Morgan (Rissel) Tarr, Colleen Plimier, Gloria Leung, Andrea (Alloway) Curran, Calvin Knickerbocker, Zach Righellis; Middle row: Megan Redford, Lara (Moren) Karl, Lynne (Domingos) Chauncey, Tim Carter, James Eliassen; Back row: Alex Burke, Alison (Kennedy) Montes, Carey (Fitzpatrick) Galles, Adam Goldberg, Gabriella Condie, Andrew Harper 
Havens School (L-R) – Front row: Sangita Patel, Nysa Lane, Deede Liu, Katherine (Field) Rothschild, Rebecca (Peters) Triki, Eric Shannonhouse, Rob Nolan; Middle row: Lisa (Horner) Turner, Abby (Clawson) Low, Spencer Young, Gabriella Condie, Camilla (Kardel) Sharma, Rebecca (Parish) Eirich, Tim Carter, Mike Morris; Back row: Leah (Harley) Schwatz, Farzad Gazor, Jessica (Lum) Coulson, Rachel (Iverson) Hixenbaugh, Greg Farber, Joe Eskenazi, Charles (Craig) Stone, Maggie (Romweber) Harper, Jeff Bond, Kelly (Cleary) Castaneda 
Class President, Lisa (Horner) Turner welcomes the class 
Kelly (Cleary) Castaneda, Loki Shannonhouse, Katrina Davis, Dylan Kersh dance to reminiscent beats by DJ Spence1 (Spencer Young) 
Reunion organizers, Etienne Fang and Ben Fendel announce the winners of the Bingo and trivia games 
Abby (Clawson) Low designed PHS Class of 1994 Reunion keepsake tote bags and cards 
PHS Student Helpers: Kate Tong, Carmen Botero, Xia Snyder, PHS Class of 2027 were hired to work the event 
Members of the class of 1995 volunteered to help out and during the event. Kim (Lombardi) Becker, guest Laura Chan, Carys Steers, Ellen (Klemmer) Murff 
A Blackout Bingo game encouraged alums to reconnect with each other 
Ice Breaker questions helped classmates break the ice after many years 
Katherine (Field) Rothschild, Gabriella Condie, Deede Liu 
Farzad Gazor, Jeff Bond, Dylan Kersh, Mike Morris 
Andrea (Alloway) Curran, Rebecca (Parish) Eirich, Leah Harley 
Mickey Lawler, Rebecca (Peters) Triki, Kelley Cleary, Francisco Casteneda
July 20 was a special night for the class of 1994. We laughed and hugged and mouthed the words to hits from the 1990s. (Shout out to Spencer Young, attorney by day and DJ by night.) The magic of the venue coupled with the magic of our class made the event memorably joyful. As Rebecca (Parish) Eirich said, “It was awesome and so, so nice to reconnect. That old history runs deep and is a unique connection to our former/younger selves.”
Though 10:00 p.m. came all too soon, Fang and Fendel made certain that we didn’t leave empty handed. Prizes (courtesy of Adrienne Krumins, a parent coordinator for the PHS Boosters) were handed out for the winners of trivia and bingo, and everyone was given a PHS inspired tote bag, designed by our very own Abby (Clawson) Low. Links to the professional photos, taken by Julie Reichle Photography, PHS Class of ‘84 and a heartfelt note were sent digitally to our entire class soon after. As mentioned in a note from our classmate, Steve Brown, who couldn’t attend the reunion, “The photos and text summary were amazing. Looking at all of the photos of all those people from back in the day made me really happy. I was sorry to miss it.”