Whimsical, tiny fairy doors delight Alameda residents

ALAMEDA, Calif. (KGO) -- A tiny craze is sweeping the East Bay city of Alameda and it's turning into a big idea. If you don't look down, you might miss the whimsical, small fairy doors peppering the area.

There are big things happening in Alameda. To find them, you'll have to look down and think small.

"That's a fairy door," said 10-year-old Serena Hogenboom, pointing at a tiny door near the ground. "The first one we put up."

She took ABC7 News on a tour of miniature fairy doors, which seem to be everywhere if you know where to look.

Three years ago, Serena and her grandfather Fred Hogenboom started making the whimsical doors in his garage, giving some away and hiding others around town.

"It kind of blew up in a good way," Fred said.

"I've always had a dream I'd be randomly famous, my dream is coming true," Serena exclaimed.

The fairy door movement has inspired others. Alameda fairy doors has its own Facebook page with pictures and maps with hundreds of little doors and their locations.

Recently, The West Alameda Business Association had a tiny ribbon cutting for a fairy door on Webster Street.

"It's approachable art for everyone and easy to get involved, paint your own door and it makes everyone smile," said Rachel Campos de Ivanov, from The West Alameda Business Association.

In January, the business association will hold a contest to see who can find all of Alameda's fairy doors by posting the pictures on Instagram.