The Fairy & Gnome Home Festival at Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center is hands down our family’s favorite Spring event! We have attended the festival annually for the past three years. I know The Playful Parent makes a lot of recommendations for family entertaining; however, I promise this is one you won’t want to miss. It is truly a magical day full of pure play, creative activities, games and more.
MAGICAL LANDS YOU’LL VISIT
- The Fairy Lolly – Venture into the magical forest where little ones can explore the wonderfully whimsical natural play space where they are free to run, jump, climb, perform and more! This play-scape is made out of natural materials and encourages pure play.
- Dragon Slayer’s Lair- Step inside the artLAB where you can make a take home creation as magical as you wish!
- Eggsibit- Take a keepsake photo at the gallery of Magic Wings. Travel through the “Eggsibit” in the Nature Nook and discover lots of fun facts about egg-layers and meet our egg-laying friends
- Fairytale Theater – Every hour there will be a live children’s theater showcasing favorite fairytales.
- Stone Spire Circle- This fun activity offers the chance to build a rock cairn, make a pebble mosaic and meet the Troll Master.
- Bubblelandia- Twirl to the music in a shower of bubbles and create giant bubbles of your own!
- Gnomeville- Build your very own fairy house with natural elements found at the Garden, always a crowd favorite!
- Treetopia- Make a dazzling pinecone suncatcher for your window, or make a wish and add it to the Wishing tree! You can also meet Green Man in Treetopia!
- Land of Mystical Creatures- Visit the petting Zoo with baby animals!
- Meet a Mermaid- Say hello to the Chesapeake Mermaid and hear her stories about helping to protect the environment.
Activities that cost additional Money:
- Ride a Unicorn: Take a ride on a unicorn! ($7.00 Additional Fee)
- Tatoos and Facepainting Always adds a little magic! $
- The Magical Marketplace – Shop for fairy-themed items at our market.
- Royal Banquet Hall- You won’t go hungry with our festival food vendors!
TIPS
- I highly recommend dressing up and making the most of your magical experience; fairies, trolls, gnomes, anything goes! We were thinking about dressing as insects and flowers this year! Can’t wait to show to be there live at the event!
- Purchase a Fast Pass ahead of time to save time and avoid the line.
- Bring cash, it’s quicker and easier to have cash so you can purchase fun items and food. The food vendors are amazing. We love getting local bbq and grilled foods, not to mention ice cream, popcorn and other tasty treats provided by local vendors.
- Take your time walking along the trail, there are lots of activities to engage in, not to mention it’s fun to find all the hidden fairy and gnome homes in the garden.
- Keep in mind…No pets, no smoking or vaping permitted.
- Last year our family signed up to donate a Gnome Home and had a blast putting it together and placing in the garden for all to see. This year we were not able to register one but can’t wait to see everyone else’s creations. We hope to make a few fairy and gnome homes for our own garden this year. This is a fun way to into the spirit for the fun event.
FAIRY AND GNOME FESTIVAL INFORMATION
April 14, 2019
11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Anne Marie Garden – 13480 Dowell Rd. Dowell, MD 20629
Cost: $8.50 Per Person, $7 per person; Members free; kids 2 & under free
Event Link
PLAYFUL PARENT GIVEAWAY
One lucky fan will win a family of four tickets to the 2019 Fairy and Gnome Home Festival at Annmarie Gardens. This giveaway is open March 29, 2019 and will close the follow Friday at 9 AM. You may enter one of two different ways. Like and Comment on the article here or on Facebook:
- LIKE the post
- COMMENT what you or your little one will or would like to dress-up as (Fairy, Gnome, dragon, troll, flower, mermaid, the sky is the limit.)
- SHARE tag a friend…who knows, if they win maybe they will ask you to tag along! (Never mandatory to share, it just helps spread the word.)
- MUST be a Playful Parent follower/subscriber to win.
- This giveaway is not affiliated with any social media outlet.
***The Playful Parent is not paid to promote Annmarie Gardens. The Playful Parent is 501c3 that provides free resources that advocate learning through play and promote family bonding. Thank you Annmarie Garden for donating family passes for the guide and giveaway.***