By Don Lowe
Anyone who enjoys getting lost in a fanciful fantasy world will find the upcoming Fairy Festival at Lendonwood Gardens in Grove, Oklahoma, a delightfully dazzling experience.
While the June 1 festival will have plenty of things to entice youngsters, Lendonwood Board of Directors President Pauline Hale says it’s not just for kids. “Children seem mesmerized at the idea of fairies, and what better place to celebrate them than in a beautiful garden? And, quite frankly, we think adults will enjoy it just as much as the children. The level of interest in the Fairy Festival has simply been amazing.”
Festival attendees will have a wide range of enchanting activities to help make it memorable. Hale says, “In the crafts area, children can make a special fairy house to take home. The first 200 children under 12 years old will receive wings to wear home.
“There will be a troll magician to amaze the children and adults, a harpist to provide a musical backdrop, a professional photographer to take pictures and a face-painting station. Grove High School cheerleaders will demonstrate fairy dances. Fairy godmothers will be stationed throughout the garden to entertain and engage with children.
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And children will be dazzled by an enchanted fairy pond. Costumes are encouraged. All may shop in the fairy store at the Garden.”
Hale applauds local realtor and Lendonwood supporter Sharon Lebow for coming up with the Fairy Festival idea this year. “Sharon offered to organize and coordinate the entire event. She garnered support from businesses and individuals to help make sure the festival will be extra special.”
The setting for the event naturally lends itself to the fairy theme. “Lendonwood is a woodland garden with towering oaks and mysterious winding pathways, not to mention colorful blooms along the way,” says Hale. “It provides the perfect backdrop for the whimsy and beauty of a fairy festival.
“Part of Lendonwood’s mission is exposing adults and children to the magic of gardens, plants and nature. We hope they will look around the garden as they enjoy the Fairy Festival and other events throughout the year such as Earth Day and Art in the Garden.”
While events like the Fairy Festival help bring people here, Hale knows this is a perfect place to visit anytime. “Lendonwood is one of only a few botanical gardens in Oklahoma. It’s unusual for a small town the size of Grove with about 7,000 people to have a botanical garden within the city limits.
“We feel fortunate to be able to enjoy Lendonwood with its 8 acres of woodland gardens, featuring special botanical collections like azaleas, rhododendrons, daylilies, dogwoods, Japanese maples and more. In recent years, Lendonwood has added an Oklahoma garden, monarch waystation, hummingbird garden and rejuvenated azalea garden, and now there are accessible paved pathways throughout. So, the garden continues to grow, just as it should.”
Hale is happy to be heavily involved in this operation and says, “I think I’m proudest when I have a chance to just walk through this serene, peaceful place and soak in the color and beauty.
“I’m proud that, during the pandemic, Lendonwood was that place of respite for many who felt trapped during lockdowns and discouraged by a lack of contact with the natural world. We’re working hard to make sure it continues as a special destination for all to enjoy.”
Lendonwood Gardens Fairy Festival Fast Facts
What: Lendonwood Gardens is an 8-acre botanical garden near Grand Lake in Northeast Oklahoma that features more than 1,000 types of plants, including azaleas, dogwoods, peonies, hostas, evergreen trees and more.
Physical Address: 1308 Har-Ber Rd., Grove, Oklahoma
Phone Number: 918.786.2938
Website: https://lendonwood.com
Admission to Fairy Festival: $5 per person
Welcome Center and Garden Shop Hours of Operation: Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Gardens: Open year-round during daylight hours.
NOTE: When the welcome center is closed during daylight hours, you still may tour the garden. Enter through the iron gate to the right of the welcome center and pay your admission fee in the red box located inside the gate. Lendonwood Gardens Fairy Festival Lendonwood Gardens Fairy Festival Lendonwood Gardens Fairy Festival Lendonwood Gardens Fairy Festival Scan formore info