Fairy Folk Festival at Bookworm Gardens near Blue Harbor Resort

Growing up, I was obsessed with fairytales, magic, medieval times, and mythical creatures. I believed the dust you can see floating through the air when the sunlight filters through a window at just the right angle were fairies, I built fairy houses in my mom’s garden; I drew countless pictures of dragons and couldn’t keep my nose out of my copy of Grimm’s Fairy Tales or my Harry Potter books. My sister and I dressed up as fairies during the summer and would run around the backyard with magic wands and our fairy dolls. We believed in magic, pretended we could talk to animals, and imagined that we were mermaids when we visited the beach. My childhood is painted in these imaginative memories, and I still feel the same happiness and excitement I did back then when I think about fantasy, magic, and fairytales as an adult. I remember one summer, my parents took my little sister and I to a fairy festival somewhere in Wisconsin in the woods. We got to dress up in our fairy costumes, build fairy houses in a contest, get our faces painted, and listen to stories being read to us by a grown-up fairy under a canopy of pine trees. I’ll never forget how special going to this festival was, and although I may be in my 20’s now, when I learned that the Bookworm Gardens here in Sheboygan was hosting a Fairy Folk Festival and that Blue Harbor Resort was partnering with Bookworm and a local favorite store, The Gameboard, for a fairy-themed week this summer, I was filled with excitement.

The first Fairy Folk Festival at Bookworm Gardens in Sheboygan, Wi has officially begun, therefore kicking off the week of the Fairy Folk Retreat at Blue Harbor! Excitingly, I got to attend the first day of the festival at the gardens, and I’m here to assure you that there is magic for everyone of all ages to enjoy at Fairy Folk- no matter your age, gender, or interest in fairytales. These absolutely beautiful and charming gardens will take your breath away and ignite your imagination regardless.

Clearly, I was super excited for this event. I’ve always had an active imagination, and a taste for magic. I love reading fantasy books, creating art from my imagination, and of course, I love playing dress up. Getting to attend Fairy Folk, I had a field day picking out a whimsical outfit complete with lots of sparkly jewelry that I felt a fairy would love to cover herself in. My excitement to get to the gardens and feel like I was one with them, like I was a garden fairy living among the flowers and trees, was nearly overwhelming.

(Once) Upon Arriving… The gardens were practically singing and sparkling under the sweltering summer sun. The entrance was decorated in vibrant and shimmering colors, fit for a fairy! The gardens are at their peak, fully overtaking the entire property; tall, luscious, lively, and enchanting. I couldn’t help but feel small by comparison to these thriving plants surrounding me on all sides (even the tree canopies above me), their beauty overwhelming me and sizing me down to feel more fairy-like. I almost can’t describe how beautiful being in the garden is and how happy it instantly makes me. It reminds me of all the things in the world that I’m lucky to experience- connecting with nature has always felt very grounding and peaceful for me. It serves as a reminder of how big the world is and how small I am as an individual. All of these feelings hit me as soon as I enter the gardens, and I smile to myself knowing I get to immerse myself in this magical destination for the next hour.

One of the activities of the festival that you can engage with throughout the entire garden is the hidden gnome hunt. Keep your eyes peeled, these colorful and troublesome little gnomes are scattered everywhere- including places you wouldn’t expect! Make sure you keep track of how many gnomes you find during your festival visit! If you follow them, you’ll be led to different activities scattered across the gardens.

One of the first activities I ventured towards was the Dragon Disco Dance Party in the Amphitheater. A fire-breathing dragon friend and a unicorn friend were waiting with buckets of ribbons to twirl and dance with. Of course, I had to dance with these fun inflatable mythical creatures before moving on to see what else awaited me in this garden of magic. I passed my dancing ribbon off to a new group arriving at the amphitheater and headed back in the direction I came from (keeping an eye out for gnomes the whole way) towards the barn where a fairy craft was waiting. In the spirit of building fairy houses, the gardens set up a station for visitors to make their own miniature fairy doors! There were small planks of wood (fairy-sized of course), markers, washi tape, and stickers for everyone to decorate their own tiny door with. I elected to draw my design (plus I wanted to save all the cool tape and stickers for the little ones who were so excited decorating their own door in their fairy costumes).

Through the barnyard vegetable garden and over a hedge or two is the Magic Tree House where story time is held, and I couldn’t help but notice as I walked by that the selection of stories to read was very (or shall I say fairy) fitting for the festival theme. Books with dragons, princesses, knights, nature, and more were waiting for kids to come and listen to. 

Since I created my own fairy door, I was eager to see the full fairy houses that were waiting on the bridge for visitors to admire and vote for their favorite. I approached the impressive lineup and was given 3 marbles to cast 3 votes for my favorite house. Additionally, there was water and popcorn available for purchase on the bridge in case you are visiting with some Very Hungry Caterpillars. I was so impressed by all of the fairy houses, each one was so detailed and whimsical, I imagined what it would be like for a little fairy to live in each and every one as I examined them all. As I said earlier, I loved making fairy houses out of nature in the backyard and in my mom’s garden growing up, so seeing these houses that have had so much care and effort poured into them reminded me of being a kid. I cast my 3 votes and then I was off to take some photos of the gorgeous garden grounds!

I was so busy trying to capture the beauty of the gardens that I completely forgot to stop in the Woodlands for the fairy village building project! I bet that if you stop by the fairy house contest before you head over to this activity, you’ll be full of inspiration for your own creations.

Lastly, I enjoyed slowly strolling along the garden path, taking in the flowers, the bugs, the sound of birds chirping, and being grateful I could escape into nature for a bit. I could spend a whole day in these gardens: leisurely walking through them, sitting and reading a book of my own while surrounded by bursts of colorful florals, the summer foliage, and evergreen trees. Although it would be hard to get physically lost in Bookworm Gardens, allow yourself to become mentally lost amid the branches of trees and the stems of plants, the puffy voluminous clouds in the sky, and the shining sun on your shoulders. Take your time enjoying these rich gardens, slowing down to appreciate the little bits of magic that surround you here and everywhere. A garden is like a natural mosaic had crafted by the elements, living critters, water, and the weather. That in and of itself is a piece of magic.

I’m excited to share that Blue Harbor Resort has drawn its Fairy Folk Retreat winner, including a free overnight stay, tickets to Fairy Folk Festival, and Fairy Prank, a hide-and-seek game, from The Gameboard. Congrats to our winner!

Fairy Folk Festival at Bookworm Gardens goes through Sunday, August 4^th, 2024 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For visitors 21 and over, the garden is hosting the Fairyfolk Masquerade on Friday, August 2nd from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Live music will be provided by WhiskeyBelles, and guests can design their own masquerade masks, purchase flower crowns, and food trucks and beverages will be available for purchases.