Visitors to the Faerie Festival are often so excited to get to what they believe to be the fun parts that they fairly fly through the Gates. Patrons are often anxious to get to the Mythic Arts Marketplace, the Wattlestone Garden where they might see the Queen, or the Star Stage to enjoy their favorite band or bard.  But for those who explore across and around the Festival grounds and the Land of Faerie, there is much more to see. One such feature is the whimsical and wonderful Pinwheel and Parasol Garden, bordered by the Tutu Forest where even the trees seem Purposefully Ridiculous.  A favorite place of little folk, both human and fairy alike, it is a playground full of color and whimsy and visited throughout the day by faeries, wizards, jugglers, singers, dancers, dragons, and lots of kids.  While this little glen by the Gateway offers an inviting place for the young to play, it also offers a place for weary parents and elders to take a welcome break! Seating and shelter have been provided for just that reason. The area also borders the Fairy Food Garden for families that choose to enjoy a midday meal or snack in relative shade and comfort.

   The Pinwheel and Parasol Garden features a small stage for performance and puppet theater.  Sometimes little shows are scheduled there, but the space also invites people to create their own shows and little performances.  Nearby there is an explorable tiny hobb cottage that’s just the right height for kids and little folk. There’s plenty of room for bigger folk outside the hobb cottage!  The entire area is adorned with pinwheels, wind spinners, and colorful umbrellas and parasols of all sizes.

A very fancy pavilion tent has been raised in the Pinwheel and Parasol Garden that houses a library of fairy-worthy picture books and materials for making pictures of one’s own.  There is also a Fairy Mailbox where kids (and the young at heart) can write and send letters to their favorite Faeries and magical beings.  Reliable postal agents deliver those letters directly to the addressees or to the Queen of Faeries herself, should protocol require it.  Occasionally, the Queen visits this part of her Realm. It is reported that she loves the parasol flowers and ridiculous tutu trees there. We think she loves all the land everywhere, and especially the places where the littlest of her subjects and guests tend to gather. These are just some of the many treats that are just waiting for your discovery. So don’t always just be trying to get somewhere else.  Find yourself at or find your way to the Pinwheel and Parasol Garden.