Photos and story by Lucy Wheeler

What better place to find the fairies than at the Botanical Gardens in Encinitas, CA? Fairies aren’t known to hang out at the shopping malls or on the crowded freeways. They seek out the spiritual aspects of flower gardens and wooded seclusion to do their magic and their tricks, much akin to the Leprechauns who are earth fairies.Once in fairyland, other Fairies began to appear, especially the flower fairies and tree fairies.
As the fairy seekers arrive, the parking- lot fairy greets them at the over-load parking lots, where fairy carts provided convenient transportation to the main event. While fairies of the water, air, earth, and the house and hearth, did their best to hide among the haze of June Gloom, the fairies of the trees and flower legends and lore led us into the fairyland landscapes, rings, and paths. Fairies can be fussy about their dress, what they like to eat and drink, and what plants and animals they cherish. The secrets of fairy festivals and the various names they want to be called—including the Little Folk and Good Neighbors revealed the privilege to enter into a paradise that vibrates at a different frequency than our own.

The only adult fairies present were the photo-op fairies. Perhaps they represented the Iris fairy as a ray of the rainbow pointing to the pot of gold at the end, or possibly the clover fairy of luck and good fortune. Each flower fairy has its meaning. All other fairy participants were curious children looking for the magic of the day and to understand how the fairies work.
Fairies are nature spirits, who tend growing things; they are the elemental entities of air, water, fire, and earth, today some were hiding, some were visible.
Fairies like the magical time of the Midsummer Solstice because days are long and time stands still to choose visibility. They become active and visible; playing pranks and joyfully frolicking around. Some are mischievous. Some are intent while others explore.

The tree fairies provided a wish tree for those who want to attract the fairies’ attention for a wish they secretly have been seeking. Tree fairies can teach us a great deal about ourselves when we dare to listen to its answers to what we find. Long ago, many trees were considered to be the home of oracles, where the deity whispered through the leaves.
Then there were the craft tables, specially set to play with the ideas and learnings of what we glean from the fairies.
Fairy mushrooms were waiting for the appropriate paint. Then it was time for the face painting booth followed by Twinkle Time with Twinkle and her hop music group.

The photo op fairies gave gifts to express their thanks while the food trucks provided their tasteful wares.
By the end of the day, the fairies in training were dragging their heels to stay just a little bit longer with the fairies of the Festival. Until next year at the Midsummer Solstice, thanks to the Botanical Gardens for a tour of the fascinating world of the fairies where we stepped into the mystery of fairyland with one foot while keeping the other foot flat on the ground of our earth.