By Julia Beauregard
Hometown Weekly Editor
In celebration of the seasons transitioning from winter to spring, the Dover Town Library (DTL) invited children of all ages to build their very own fairy house. The fairy houses were constructed out of recycled natural materials provided by the library host
Children were able to pick through a variety of materials including sticks, cured pieces of wood, seashells and rocks that the instructor had collected from a variety of beaches in Cape Cod, moss, feathers, and dried flowers.
Every participant was provided with a foam base that acted as a foundation for their fairy house. Attendees were given two hours to complete this project where their imaginations were allowed to run wild. The instructor provided examples of fairy houses that she created and told the children that she erected the fairy houses that she had created in her garden once they were completed.
What are the origins of these handmade fairy houses? According to Wikipedia: “Fairy houses have been recorded on Monhegan Island in Maine since the 1950s, although some claim they date back to the early 20th century. These houses were primarily made by local children. In the early 2000s, New Hampshire writer Tracy Kane began publishing children's books on fairy houses after visiting Monhegan. Kane has been credited with the popularization of fairy houses outside of Maine.
By the mid-2000s, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, began organizing the Annual Fairy House Tour, which as of 2012 was one of the largest fairy house event in the world.”
Many towns in Massachusetts host annual fairy walks as well; for example, Medfield typically hosts one at the Bellforge annually in April, however this year they have moved locations to Hinkley Park. Choate Park in Medway hosts an annual fairy walk each summer. Crafters are encouraged to create a fairy house to display for these walks.
Each crafter left this event with their own uniquely desired fairy home. The children services librarian shared that they hope to bring this event back to the DTL again due to its success.
