The 11th annual Welcome to Fairyville event, presented by Duke Energy, alights on the Nickel Plate Arts campus April 19 to 22, with crafts and activities for all ages and most events free.
“Welcome to Fairyville is our most joyous celebration of the year, a time when we celebrate the return of spring, the endless creativity of our community, and the youthful adventurer inside our own hearts,” Nickel Plate Arts Director Ailithir McGill said. “The magic of Fairyville is that it brings out the kid in all of us and inspires wonder and curiosity that help us see beautiful downtown Noblesville in a whole new way.”
The annual event is centered around Earth Day and places a heavy emphasis on outdoor, nature-themed activities. In addition to the scheduled events that are offered throughout downtown Noblesville, there will be options for walk-in and take-home projects through local arts partners.
McGill describes the event as a fun celebration that promotes the mission of Earth Day while also supporting local businesses and artists.
“My team looks forward to Fairyville every year because it gives us an extra outlet for all sorts of creativity,” McGill said. “From identifying the best ways to include dozens of different artists and merchants, to figuring out how to build a giant salamander puppet, this program is a wonderful challenge! We, along with the more than two dozen businesses and organizations who team up to bring Fairyville to the community, look forward to welcoming everyone to the Fairyville Trail!”
Photo provided by Nickel Plate Arts
Schedule of events
Nickel Plate Arts, along with its partners and other local businesses, will host various events and activities for Welcome to Fairyville.
- Queen Titania’s Fairy Ball: Wednesday, April 19 from 7 to 9 p.m. Join the Queen of Fairyville at an enchanting ball for her beloved mortal friends at the Lacy Arts Building (by invitation only, $100 per ticket). This is a 21 and older fundraising event. Click here for more information.
- Fairy Home Show: Wednesday, April 19 through Saturday, April 22. The full collection of Fairy Houses made by local artists of all ages will be on display and open for voting on the Nickel Plate Arts campus on Wednesday, April 19 and Thursday, April 20 from noon to 5 p.m. and will move to the Fairyville Trail for Fairy Friday and Sprite Saturday. Visitors are encouraged to get a map on campus before beginning their tour of the Fairy Home Show (free).
- Fairy Vendors: Friday, April 21 from 6 to 9 p.m., and Saturday, April 22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fairy-inspired wares will be sold on the Noblesville Courthouse Square (individual booth costs).
- Fairyville After Dark: Friday, April 21 from 6 to 10 p.m. Join Nickel Plate Arts at various locations around downtown Noblesville for an adult-oriented experience presented by Martin & Martin Insurance that will include face and body effects painting, acrobatics and fire performing, Celtic music and dancing, and more. Adult-oriented activities are classified by the Fairyville After Dark crescent moon symbol on event listings (free).
- Fairyville Trail: Friday, April 21 from noon to 9 p.m., and Saturday, April 22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit the Fairyville Trail during the day on Friday and Saturday to see the Fairy Home Show, meet the citizens of Fairyville, and take part in various magic shows, live musical performances, and Earth Day activities (free).
- Fairy Caboose Rides: Saturday, April 22 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Nickel Plate Express Fairy Caboose will pick up passengers every 30 minutes and take them along the Fairyville Trail to find fairy homes, meet citizens of Fairyville, and more ($17 per person).
- Family Tea Parties: Saturday, April 22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Join Sleeping Beauty and her fairy friends for a tea party full of tea, treats, art, and proper fairy tea etiquette at the HCAA Birdie Gallery ($15 per person; children under 13 must be accompanied by a paying adult).
- Fairyville Parade: Friday, April 21 at 7 p.m., and Saturday, April 22 at 2 p.m. The Fairyville Parade, presented by the Noblesville Trustee’s Office, will follow the Fairyville Trail from Nickel Plate Arts to the Noblesville Courthouse Square and will include Fairyville’s most prominent citizens (free).
Photo provided by Nickel Plate Arts
Kids and adults can submit a fairy house (applications due April 15) to be featured in the Fairy Home Show and along the Fairyville Trail during Fairy Friday and Sprite Saturday.
The Fairyville Trail is free to attend; some special events have costs and requirements. Purchase tickets and learn more at NickelPlateArts.org/Fairyville.
About Nickel Plate Arts
Nickel Plate Arts is an umbrella nonprofit organization that creates and coordinates arts and cultural experiences across communities in eastern Hamilton County and the surrounding areas to improve the quality of life for residents, strengthen local economies and enrich experiences for visitors. Nickel Plate Arts is a project of Hamilton County Tourism, Inc.