Despite cold weather and mountainous snow, more than 20 little girls, dressed as fairies or princesses, gathered at the historic Kimball Jenkins mansion for the first ever fairy tea party last Sunday. This was the first of a series of four, leading to a final event, a Fairy Festival, scheduled for June 14, inspired by author and illustrator Tracy Kane’s award-winning Fairy House Series, which will involve building fairy houses, and a visit from the author herself.
“Today is my best day ever!” said a young party participant as she sipped juice from her China tea cup Sunday. Each table was adorned with fancy linens, China tea cups, and serving tiers filled with snacks, from gold fish and cupcakes to cream cheese-filled celery sticks shaped as butterflies with pretzel wings, and marshmallow teacup treats. The girls and their adult caregivers sat around tables, setup within the mansion, where they had choices of flavored, decaffeinated tea and juice.
In addition to a fancy tea time, the guests shared a story time with a book by Tracy Kane about fairies and fairy houses, read by two faculty members at Kimball Jenkins School of Art. And after tea time, the girls were led to a room set up with an art project, where most worked carefully, showing extraordinary pride in their work. “I’m an artist now,” said another 4-year-old girl after she finished coloring.
The overwhelming majority of parents and caregivers in attendance have already registered for the next fairy tea parties, which are scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. March 29, April 26 and May 24.
