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Storyland Revitalization

Storyland is an enchanted playground that has been in New Orleanians’ backyards since the 1950s. In Storyland, children can climb aboard Captain Hook’s pirate ship, adventure into the mouth of Pinocchio’s whale or scamper up Jack & Jill’s hill. This outdoor, fairy-tale playground is a child’s dream come true filled with 18 larger-than-life storybook sculptures, featuring classic characters from Grimm and Mother Goose nursery rhymes and Trickster character induced folk-tales from around the world. Children can have fun, play, and learn, all while running under the shade of City Park’s majestic oak tree canopies.


But wait…Storyland is getting even better! Nearly 35 years after the last major renovation, the revitalization will take place starting July 8, 2019 through the fall of 2019.


The revitalization will:
-Add four new exhibits:
1. Jack and the Beanstalk
2. Humpty Dumpty
3. The Tortoise and the Hare
4. Boudreaux the Zydeco Gator

-Enhance 18 well-loved exhibits:
• Alice in Wonderland
• Hey Diddle Diddle
• Little Mermaid
• Show White and the Seven Dwarfs
• The Storyland Castle
• Peter Pan’s Pirate Adventure
• Gingerbread Man
• Pinocchio and the Whale
• Cinderella’s Pumpkin
• Little Red Riding Hood
• The Three Little Pigs
• Jack and Jill
• Old Women Who Lived in a Shoe
• Puff the Magic Dragon Slide
• Old King Cole
• The School House

-Focus on the latest educational methods. including STEM and interactive-play for the whole family
-Increase ADA accessibility for more exhibits
-Breathe new life into the most popular spots in Storyland to host a child’s birthday party. Parties are being booked now. Click here for details.
-Use 90% local artists on this renovation

This announcement comes on the heels of Storyland being named this month by Forbes ‘among best family-travel activities in New Orleans’.

Storyland will close starting July 8, 2019 through the fall of 2019. 

Friends of City Park’s member perk of free admission to Storyland will be re-activated upon opening. Members should reach out to the Friends of City Park office for any questions by clicking here.

You can still support the effort. Contact Casie Duplechain, Chief Development Officer, at cduplechain@nocp.org for support opportunities, like sponsoring a bench in Storyland ito honor of your grandchild or child. Donate today by clicking here and and selecting Storyland in the drop down.

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Thank you to the generosity of our current donors:

Jack in the Beanstalk:
Friends of City Park

Storyland Castle:
Boysie and Joy Bollinger

Alice in Wonderland:
Dots Diner - JoAnn and Larry Katz

Boudreaux the Zydeco Gator:
Kiwanis Club of New Orleans

Peter Pan’s Pirate Adventure:
Hahn Enterprises, Inc.

Pinocchio and the Whale:
Andrèe, Jay, Bailey, and Kelly Batt

Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe:
Robert Zetzmann Family Foundation

Cinderella’s Pumpkin:
George and Lauren Brennan Brower
Richard “Dickie” Brennan, Jr.
Steve and Yvette Pettus

Gingerbread Man:
Bryan and Lauren Fitzpatrick Family Foundation

Humpty Dumpty:
Laura and Philip Claverie
in honor of their grandchildren

Little Mermaid:
Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust

Little Red Riding Hood:
Lakeview Veterinary Hospital

Old King Cole:
The Children of Gerry Bordelon

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs:
Liz and Poco Sloss
Karen and Peter DeBlieux
Mary and Keith Johnson

The Tortoise and the Hare:
The Azby Fund

Jack and Jill:
Jason Bourgeois and Camille Bourgeois
and their parents Warren Bourgeois and Usha Ramadhyani

The Whale Plaza:
Margaret Anne Eastman

The Three Little Pigs Plaza:
Terminix Exterminating, Inc.
Chehardy Sherman Williams Law Firm

The Three Little Pigs Brick House:
Eugenie and Joseph Jones Family Foundation

The Three Little Pigs Wood House:
Susan and Bill Hess
in honor of their grandchildren

The Three Little Pigs Straw House:
Jackie and Bruce Shreves AKA "Pops and JJ"
in honor of Teddy and Fritz Newman

Historic City Park Gazebo:
Sally and Walter Cockerham

Mother Goose:
Andrèe, Jay, Bailey, and Kelly Batt

Anansi the Spider:
Chaney Lawrence Phillips, R. Grayson Phillips, Lindsey Noelle Phillips, Kathryn Leigh Thomas, Luke Bennet Thomas - In honor of Dr. Aimee Kathryn Thomas

Bench Sponsors:
Mr. and Mrs. Lee Roy (Kathleen) Morgan
Eugenie and Joseph Jones Family Foundation
Julie and Jacque Kuchta
The Larue Family
The Meza Family
Carro, Billy, Cheney, Russell, and Annalee Gardner
Charlie and Shon Baker
Millie and George Borne
Ian, Terri, Alexander, and Luciana Dreyer

Fifer Pig:
Hancock Whitney

Practical Pig:
Eugenie and Joseph Jones Family Foundation

Fidler Pig:
Kathleen and Edmund Schrenk

Repunzel:
Dr. Kenya L. Messer and Quentin L. Messer, Jr.

Peter Rabbit:
Renee and Paul Masinter
in honor of their daughter Eleanor Grace Masinter - who loves Storyland

Dwarfs:
Donna and Will Tregre
Jaclyn and Nicholas

Mushrooms:
Bev and John Church
Lori and Bobby Savoie
Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust
Leigh Morgan Thorpe

TWEETS FROM THE PARK:

PARK TALK:

“One of my favorite places in the world!” - Karen L.
“Beautiful trees. So peaceful to be there.” - Colleen P.
“We LOVED this Park. The Goldring/Woldenberg Great Lawn made us take off our shoes upon laying eyes on it!” - Marvin G.
“One of my favorite places....absolutely the most beautiful park I have ever seen (even internationally)!” - Karen L.
“It's the most beautiful place in New Orleans in my opinion!” - Anjali K.
“I played mini golf with my husband there 41 years ago. ” - Peg K.
“Can I just tell you all how much I LOVE city park?! The singing oak tree coupled with the sculpture garden gives me all of the positive feels. Happy to be affiliated with such a wondrous place! ” - Jacinda L.
“When you go to City Park, you enter another world!” - Linda Marie J.
“Everyone who lives here or visits should take advantage of this city's #1 asset.” - Steve I.
“One of the best kept secrets in NOLA. ” - Wyndham N.
“Can't wait for the day that I can take my grandchild to the place that my parents use to take me...great memories! ” - Jennie O.
“I remember having my picture taken at the Peristyle for my dance review back in 1964. The Peristyle is still so beautiful!” - Bunny W.
“Another claim to fame in our beloved city.” - Carolyn B.
“If you go to New Orleans, you got to see the Mardi Gras...and City Park. What a gem in a place of craziness! ” - Molly H.
“On behalf of the many citizens like me...job well done. The Park is truly a wonderful asset for our city.” - Eric F.
“What a great place to get away from the madness of the French Quarter! ” - Susan F.
“The most beautiful spot in all of NOLA by far!! We will be returning.” - Stacy A.
“I would move here for this Park!” - Caity L.
“Worth seeing! We drove to the park & there was plenty of parking & it was easy to find. Loved the sculpture garden!” - Linda B.
“We had great time yesterday at the Park! We will definitely be back soon! ” - Nadra J.
“Climbing the trees at City Park is an important rite of passage for any true NOLA kid. ” - Melissa R.
“Everyone I know calls the horses on the Carousel the Flying Horses! ” - Ralph M.
“City Park its really, really, really beautiful.” - Nina G.
“Beautiful location, Park is clean, so much to see for free, great artwork and streetcar accessible.” - Gladys R.
“I have to say, not only is City Park beautiful but it is incredibly relaxing and gives you that refreshing boost, I don't know, it kind of just feeds your soul a little bit.” - Greg H.
“No trip to NOLA is complete unless you spend an afternoon at City Park. Bring a picnic, spread a blanket and relax. There's plenty to do and see from Disc Golf to the Sculpture Gardens and rides for the kiddies. You can make a whole day of it and never get bored. Enjoy.” - Dan M.
“I wish we couldn't spent hours here! There is an Amusement Park, a sculpture garden, a place to get coffee and beignets and more! I'd love to go back and spend more time!” - Gina V.
“City Park was the factor that turned me from a tourist to a resident of New Orleans. ” - Bill W.
“Such a beautiful, magical park!” - Josh A.
“Had fun at the park yesterday...my family and I rented the paddle boats and had a blast!!! ” - Kristi S.
“If I was 40 years younger I would climb these large trees!” - Renee E.
“Man, @NOLACityPark is one of the best things about this city.” - Rab G.
“My #1 reason for wanting to move to the city!” - Nicholas C.
“City Park is my gym, my place to grab a snack, my zen place.” - Elodie C.
“The lighting on the Peristyle and Bandstand look great! Thank you City Park for being beautiful! ” - Julie S.
“This is my little piece of heaven. ” - Debby G.
“I found the Park extremely beautiful and peaceful. I would not have imagined such a beautiful green space existed so close to the city. ” - Hugo E.
“My family and I have been riding our bikes on the track around the Festival Grounds. We love it, and it’s clear everyone else does too. It’s a big asset for the city. ” - Truman B.
“I just finished my jog at the beautiful City Park. It’s a great place to exercise. ” - James B.
“A beautifully landscaped, tranquil haven away from the razzle dazzle of the French Quarter. ” - Sue B.
“The free and open space - there’s nothing like being at City Park on a nice day. ” - Ase W.
“Every route is scenic. Trails and paved roads snake like the Mississippi River around bayous, lakes, ponds, sculptures, fountains, Venetian gondolas, and 600-year-old oaks. There's a 3/4 mile boardwalk around Big Lake, nature trails, and paved areas for running! ” - G. Hill
“This Park is vast & beautiful - old oaks, a museum, gardens, art - a park you can bring the kids to for rides and to feed the ducks & swans. ” - Molly W.
“I had my reception at City Park in September of 2003 and people STILL talk about the food. It was beyond my wildest dreams! ” - Veronica P.
“I so love MY PARK, even at 53 years old, it is a treasure that brings back my earliest memories - and great ones at that!” - Allison J.
“My husband and I love the cedar swings at the Goldring/Woldenberg Great Lawn. It's our date place to get away from the kids. ” - Elodie C.
“Great for riding bikes through. We even saw Surrey bikes that you can rent at the Park!” - Lars H.
“I just discovered the walking paths in Couturie Forest off of Harrison. They are awesome! ” - Bern S.
“Thank you, City Park, for the gift of the exercise equipment and the walking/running/biking trail at the Festival Grounds. It is a great venue to work out in and to enjoy the Park” - Kathy S.
“The Goldring/Woldenberg Great Lawn, across from the Peristyle, is a fantastic addition to the Park. ” - Daniel T.
“My daughter's 5th birthday party was here, it was great. ” - Victoria T.
“Beautiful! A nice place to get away from city traffic. The Spanish moss large draped oaks are gorgeous for picture taking.” - Adam T.
“City Park is amazingly beautiful and provides a wealth of resources in our great city.” - Gina M.
“I have wonderful memories biking through CP & Couturie Forest w/ my children.” - Karen C.
“New Orleans is a destination of sights, of tastes, and of sounds. Here, the sounds of the city can fill you with life. But in City Park, an oasis for natives and transplants like myself, the sounds of the Big Easy can make you feel safe. Calm. And at-home.” - Garland H.
“Can't wait to go back.” - Lisa S.
“We are from Florida but love NOLA! And City Park is one of the crown jewels! We go there each time we visit! Love it, this is the model all city parks should strive to emulate. City Park is for all the citizens of New Orleans. ” - Shannon D.
“We rented a Single Surrey, and did a full tour, that took us next to the Botanical Garden, Amusement Park, City Putt, and the beignet cafe. What a great time!” - Amy C.
“I saw a yellow-crowned night heron eating a worm for breakfast this morning! #Nature” - Andrea P.
“@NOLACityPark has to be the nicest park I have ever seen. Best place for #running or just #relaxing.” - Jamie Z.
“Every visitor should see this Park. A wonderland of lights during Christmas and a worth while trip year round.” - Mel H.
“As strong supporters we marvel at the progress City Park has made in revitalizing the Park.” - Lawrence and Beth T.
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CITY PARK FACTS:

The Peristyle, a magnificent Neo-Classical pavilion with Ionic columns, is one of City Park's oldest structures. It was built in 1907 and originally designed as a platform for dancing.