The Magical Origins and Overwhelming Success of the Faerie & Fantasy Faire
- faerieevents
- Apr 20
- 4 min read
Hello everyone! I'm Alison, the Chief Wand Bearer of 4 Wands Faerie Events Inc., and the organizer of the Faerie & Fantasy Faire. I wanted to take a moment to share the story of how this event came to be and reflect on the incredible response we received after our first-ever Faire.
My love for faeries runs deep. For over a decade, I've been immersed in the world of fantasy art, selling my fairy-themed creations at markets and festivals. I've had the privilege of meeting countless organizers and vendors and experiencing the unique magic of these gatherings. Faerieworlds in Oregon held a special place in my heart; it was my happy place, and I cherished every opportunity to attend.
For years, I've dreamed of bringing that same enchanting experience to my local community.
Interestingly, the seeds of the Faerie & Fantasy Faire were planted back in 2018. I was approached by Dawn Kirkham, an experienced event planner and fellow fairy enthusiast, along with a group of passionate women who shared the vision of creating a fairy festival in Greater Victoria. While I was eager to help with the planning, I wasn't quite ready to take on a leadership role. We had some initial meetings and even began looking at venues with the intention of launching in 2020. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and our plans, unfortunately, faded away.
However, the idea of a faerie festival never truly left me. It lingered in the back of my mind, and I often pondered how and when it might become a reality. Then, one morning in the summer of 2024, it felt as though the universe aligned. All the missing pieces fell into place, and I took it as a sign to finally embark on this magical journey.
This time, I stepped into the lead role and assembled a "Super team" of talented individuals to help me launch a fantasy festival here on Vancouver Island.
Our initial vision was relatively modest. We imagined starting with a series of craft fairs to ease ourselves into event planning. The plan was to host two craft fairs in 2025 (one in the spring and one in the fall) and then build towards a larger, outdoor summer festival in 2026. This approach seemed manageable and would allow us to establish ourselves, build relationships with vendors, and gain valuable experience.
However, as often happens with dreams, the Faerie & Fantasy Faire evolved in unexpected and wonderful ways. What was intended to be a simple craft fair took on a life of its own!
When we first announced the event in October 2024 with a simple website and a fledgling social media presence teasing "something magic is coming," the response was overwhelming. My inbox exploded with messages from people eager to be involved. We received around 200 vendor applications and inquiries, and numerous individuals and organizations generously offered their talents and expertise. We said "yes" to as many people as possible, ensuring they aligned with our overall vision.
Even our online ticket sales far exceeded our most optimistic projections, tripling our initial estimates!
It became increasingly clear that the community was hungry for a large-scale fantasy festival, just as much as we were passionate about creating one.
This realization led us to make some significant changes to our plans. We decided to cancel the second craft fair originally scheduled for the fall of 2025. This decision was driven by several factors:
We had to adjust our original dates due to a scheduling conflict with the Medieval Faire in Coombs. It didn't make sense to compete with them on the same weekend.
Finding an alternative date presented logistical challenges, including the emergence of another similar new event by another group of organizers within a short timeframe.
The Faerie & Fantasy Faire was growing into something bigger than we initially anticipated. We felt it was better to leave people wanting more than to risk over-saturating the local market.
Of course, with any inaugural event, there are bound to be challenges and areas for improvement. We knew we would encounter unforeseen issues on the day of the Faire.
And we heard your feedback! The most significant "problem" was that the event was too successful! We recognized the crowding, just as you did. We're also aware of the sound issues. We've identified areas where we can do better, and we sincerely apologize to everyone, especially our vendors and attendees near the entrance, who experienced the brunt of those challenges.
We've also pinpointed some communication gaps regarding the interactive activities, which were a hit but sometimes caused confusion. Our goal is to address these issues and ensure clarity in the future.
Despite these challenges, the overall feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. I've been deeply moved by the outpouring of "thank you" notes and "congratulations" messages filling my inbox and social media feeds. I am incredibly grateful to my dedicated team and the supportive community that helped shape and bring this vision to life.
Now, we face an important decision: Do we return to our current venue or seek a new, larger location? Regardless of the venue, we plan to expand the Faire to a two-day event. We have some exciting research and exploration to do before making a final decision, as both options present their own set of pros and cons.
Thank you all for being part of this incredible journey! We're excited to keep you all updated on what the future holds for the Faerie & Fantasy Faire.
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