Calling all royalty

Enoch Pratt Free Library hosts children’s Fairy Tale Festival

by Jenny Wierschem

In a land not far away at all, in a city sometimes called the Monumental City, and at a library called the Enoch Pratt, something magical is about to happen. The city’s children will become princes or princesses for a weekend.

The Enoch Pratt Free Library is holding its fifth annual Fairy Tale Festival at the Central Library this weekend, March 31-April 1. Enoch Pratt staff expect roughly a thousand visitors for the festival over the course of the weekend—and more tulle, sequins and velvet than you can shake a wand at.

“I’m looking forward to how packed the main hall is going to be,” says Roswell Encina, the Pratt’s director of communications.

To set the stage for activities at the Fairy Tale Festival, the main hall of the Central Library will be transformed into a fanciful play area. Enoch Pratt staff members are keeping mum about the precise details, hoping to reserve the exact look of the hall as a surprise.

“This is the first year that we will have PW Feats coming in to do the decorating,” says Encina.

Throughout both days of the festival, children can participate in crafts such as decorating crowns with “jewels” and making family crests. Families are encouraged to come in costume. For those who don’t have costumes or who want to try on something different, children will be able to try on prince and princess costumes. Each child can get one free photo in costume. Kids can also make frames for their photos.

To bring alive a sense of beloved fairy tales, the Enoch Pratt plans to have appearances from costumed fairy tales characters such as Little Red Riding Hood and Prince Charming. Children will also be able to walk through the Three Little Pigs’ house, a three-dimensional, three-foot-tall structure. Kids can construct puppets out of paper mounted on paint stirrers that they can play with inside the home of the Three Little Pigs.

Other activities are scheduled to occur throughout the festival, both on the main floor and in the children’s area. (Check the schedule of events with this article for times and appropriate ages.) Joe Oleszcsuk, who has performed at Pratt events in the past, will be doing magic tricks and showing children how to make their own balloon animals. Kathy MacMillan will teach sign language to children through stories and songs.

No fairy tale celebration would be complete without a grand ball. And what ball would be complete without the blessing of the queen of the kingdom? Dr. Carla Hayden, executive director of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, will kick off a Preschool Princess Ball in full costume, including a cape, crown, and scepter.

The ball takes place on Sunday at 2 p.m. and will feature music from a small string ensemble. Snacks will be available, and according to Pratt staff, will include little heart-shaped sandwiches. Children will also be able to try on a glass slipper to see, if like Cinderella, the shoe fits.

If some princesses or princes can’t make it to this weekend’s festival, all is not lost. Many of the programs from the festival weekend, as well as additional ones, will be held throughout the month of April at neighborhood branches of the Enoch Pratt Free Library.

“If they can’t make it this weekend, it’s going on all month long throughout the kingdom,” says Encina.

Note: For information about free fairy tale events at the Enoch Pratt Free Library pick up a copy of the “Fairy Tale Gazette” at any branch or log on to www.prattlibrary.org.

FAIRY TALE FESTIVAL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

All listed events take place at the Central Branch. Fairy tale-related activities take place throughout the kingdom (neighborhood branches) through the end of the month.

SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 10 A.M.-4 P.M.

Activities Galore! 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Central Library, Main Hall. All ages.

Princess Goose on the Loose, 10:15 a.m. Meyerhoff Children’s Garden. Ages birth-3 years old.

Preschool Storytime, 11 a.m. Meyerhoff Children’s Garden. Ages 3-5 years old.

Once Upon a Sign, 11 a.m. & 1 p.m. Meyerhoff Children’s Garden. All ages.

Balloon Magic, 3 p.m. Meyerhoff Children’s Garden. All ages.

SUNDAY, APRIL 1, 1 P.M.-4 P.M.

Activities Galore! 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Central Library, Main Hall. All ages.

Preschool Princess Ball, 2 p.m. Meyerhoff Children’s Garden, Ages 3-5 years old.