On Saturday and Sunday, fairies, goblins and woodland creatures alike wandered throughout IX Art Park in celebration of the fifth annual Fae Festival.
This “magical urban Renaissance faire” transformed IX Art Park into a fantastical realm, hosting a medieval market complete with live music, performers and engaging art and crafts. Many attendees arrived dressed for the occasion, adorned with elaborate fairy wings, flowing cloaks and flower crowns and headdresses.
Beyond the entrance, which was ticketed at $10 a piece, awaited an enchanting scene — somewhere between a medieval marketplace and a whimsical farmers' market. This marketplace served as the heart of the event, with rows of vendors offering handmade crafts, jewelry, artwork and garments. Other artisans featured an array of bespoke products — ranging from tarot card readings to local Virginia literature to hair tinsel installations.
Lydia Gonzalez, owner of Foxy Epoxy, a handmade jewelry vendor who creates pieces from real insect wings and flowers, has returned to the Fae Fest for four consecutive years. She noted how her favorite part of the festival is seeing the creativity and individuality attendees express through their costumes.
“My favorite part is people-watching,” Gonzalez said. “There's gnomes, there's trolls, there's mushrooms, there's fairies — I love [seeing] all the different things people come up with.”
In addition to the plethora of handmade crafts, garments and artwork, food and drink vendors added to the festivities. Visitors sampled offerings from local businesses like Black Heath Meadery, which makes mead, a wine-like beverage whose medieval associations felt especially fitting for the event's fantasy setting.
Just outside the entrance were two food trucks — Tealicious Cafe and Try Fabulous Foods. However, Bad Luck Ramen Bar, attached to the North American Sake Brewery, appeared to be the most popular dining destination among festivalgoers seeking refuge from the afternoon heat.
Yet despite the heat, according to rising fourth-year College student Molly Russell, attendees in elaborate, layered costumes maintained a kind and welcoming atmosphere.
“That was probably my favorite part — [getting] to watch a ton of people just doing what they love to do, and [looking] so radiant and joyous doing what they love to do,” Russell said.
One of the festival's most anticipated attractions was the Looking Glass, a whimsical, indoor immersive art museum. Sunday afternoon, the Looking Glass featured a production of William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” played inside of IX Art Park. Entry required an additional ticket, but they were sold out by the time I arrived.
Aside from the Looking Glass, the Fae Festival featured an array of performers on its central tented stage. Throughout the weekend, musicians, performers and entertainers helped bring the fantasy world to life. Bagpiper Kathy Boyer filled the grounds with gorgeous melodies, while belly dancer Sabrina Elliotte captivated audiences with mesmerizing performances.
Russell said she was particularly impressed by Elliotte's unconventional decision to blend tribal fusion belly dancing with death metal music, and was equally impressed by her elaborate, ornate outfit and headdress.
Near the stage, members of the Goblin Embassy — some of the Fae Festival’s ‘roaming performers’ — welcomed visitors into their world of fantasy roleplay, while a nearby father-son duo staged a mock battle with padded swords.
Children had no shortage of activities. At the Sprites' Creation Station, young attendees crafted magical keepsakes, while others lined up for mystical face painting. A man carrying a live snake around his neck quickly became one of the day's most popular attractions. For many families, the festival offered a chance to spend Father's Day together in an imaginative setting.
Russell said that she was struck by the genuine sense of connection among attendees. For her, the Fae Festival served as a reminder of the importance of community spaces.
“I've heard a lot of people talking about third spaces recently, and how there's like a lack of community and places to go and meet people,” Russell said. “This really made me feel like maybe third spaces aren't gone, and we do have them here. It was really exciting to be able to connect with people that I genuinely [would have] never met.”
Though fantasy served as the festival's central theme, the event's essence extended beyond costume and folklore. By bringing together artisans, performers and families, the Fae Festival created a space where creativity and community took center stage.
“Being able to find a community with such different people from who I normally interact with was so lovely, and it just goes to show how incredibly diverse our community in Charlottesville is,” Russell said. “It’s almost like a call to action for me to get outside my bubble and meet new people and form those connections, because you never know where they're gonna lead.”
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